


Haunted

by ten9



Series: Heaven Haven [6]
Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: F/F, Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-27
Updated: 2012-04-27
Packaged: 2017-11-04 09:47:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/392469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ten9/pseuds/ten9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Not to be confused with the Sanctuary episode, “Haunted”; that was a truly offensive episode. (What in God’s name were these producers thinking?) Once again, Jack the Ripper is NOT a hero.</p><p>(These characters are owned by their respective studios and producers; I make no profit from these stories, they are provided for personal use only and remain the copyright of the author. They may not be reproduced either in whole, in part or posted elsewhere without permission.)</p>
    </blockquote>





	Haunted

**Author's Note:**

> Not to be confused with the Sanctuary episode, “Haunted”; that was a truly offensive episode. (What in God’s name were these producers thinking?) Once again, Jack the Ripper is NOT a hero.
> 
> (These characters are owned by their respective studios and producers; I make no profit from these stories, they are provided for personal use only and remain the copyright of the author. They may not be reproduced either in whole, in part or posted elsewhere without permission.)

**Heaven Haven**

**Part 6**

**Haunted**

 

_“Nothing's lost forever._

_In this world, there's a kind of painful progress. Longing for what we've left behind, and dreaming ahead._

_At least I think that's so.”_

Tony Kushner - _“Angels in America”_

 

 

 

_The back of the petite form fit so snugly against her front and her eyes had closed in rapture at the perfect symmetry between horse and riders. Their midnight ride was flanked by their attending unicorns, and their white bodies shone darkly in the moonlight as the small group cantered comfortably over the cool verdant pastures of the Essex countryside. While Helen and Janet slept deeply in the guest cottage, the small group of unicorns they captured in Croatia had quickly adapted to their new surroundings after only sixteen hours. No doubt, Helen had assured Janet with a feral grin, due to the ease with which they themselves had bonded with the equines. The scent of their combined sexual pheromones had acted as introduction when the women made love in the woods and the repeated sexual joining between them acted as a calming and bonding influence  when Helen and Janet had sex in the camper portion of the horse trailer after the round-up and capture of the elusive creatures._

_They slept throughout the day and after a delicious home-cooked English dinner, the sanctuary operative that owned the secluded country farm tacked up a large retired show hunter, known for his smooth gait and gentle demeanor and Helen swung smoothly into the large English saddle. Both women felt rested, and both wore huge grins when Helen leaned to grip Janet’s arm, and pulled her small frame onto the saddle in front of her._

_With her left arm wrapped securely around the slender waist, she sighed aloud as they walked the large roan out of the paddock and though the gate. The horse had been introduced to the small band of unicorns already, and they approached with soft nickers and squeals of recognition. They chuckled softly and reached out their hands in greeting, and Helen smiled in her sleep at the remembered softness when the white muzzles brushed against her fingertips in gentle greeting._

_As she did on that night, she buried her nose in the soft highlighted hair and inhaled, clasping the small form even closer. Safe in the cover of darkness and seclusion of the farm, they rode at an easy cantor, and she reveled in how their bodies rocked together as the horse galloped over the quiet English countryside. The soft hoof beats made by horse and unicorn alike was music to Helen’s ears and she moaned softly as the measured beat began to pound between her legs remembering the feel of Janet rocking against her, and how their bodies conformed so perfectly to each other and the powerful equine beneath. She remembered how the wind blew the hair from their faces and Janet’s soft laughter. When they finally slowed to a walk, keeping to the tree line, Helen tightened her arms around Janet and squeezed her tight,_

_Janet chuckled quietly and turned in the embrace, pressing even closer and kissed her, “Happy?” she had murmured._

_“Blissfully….” Helen had assured her._

 

Helen woke, slowly becoming aware she was lying on her side holding Janet as she had in the dream; the back of the petite form tucked snugly against her front and both arms wrapped around the slender waist. Several delicious moments passed before she realized her body was still in the dream, and she was surging softly into Janet. _I believe this is referred to as dry humping…_ she silently scolded herself. Stilling the rocking motion, she blinked in the darkness of their bedroom and smiled when she realized while one hand was tucked around Janet’s waist the other firmly gripped a taut, perfect globe and she eased her grasp. _On second thought…_ she smiled and pressed her nose into the soft hair, _not so dry…_ She resisted the urge to wake Janet, unwilling to interrupt what was clearly a deep REM cycle and instead she slid her arms from the tiny waist and onto the smooth skin of Janet’s back. Pushing softly, she slid a long shapely leg over Janet’s hip and undulated, spreading hot cream over the softly rounded muscled mound of Janet’s backside. Grunting softly, Helen bit her lip to quiet her moans and stiffened when she came, her eyes squeezing tightly closed when she ejaculated, trembling, on Janet’s backside. She turned her face into the pillow beneath, using it to muffle her cries and slow her suddenly ragged breath.

 

 _Dear god…_ she blinked the tears from her brimming eyes; _Janet Fraiser, I love you so much._

 

~

 

“So we should be able to have a weekend… finally.” Helen added, buttoning the white cotton blouse.

 

Janet entered their bedroom from the connecting bathroom, tucking the end of the bath towel she had wrapped around herself. Just out of the shower, her breath was taken away when she caught Helen’s profile from the edge of her vision and she licked her suddenly dry lips. _My god she’s beautiful…._ Clad only in panties and a white shirt and bra, Janet admired the long muscular lines of Helen’s legs as she crossed the room and took from her the black jeans she was about to step into,

 

“Good…” Janet breathed, dropping the jeans on the floor, “we’ve been working hard, having a couple of days rest would be nice…” she murmured and wrapped her arms around the slender waist.

 

Helen smiled and bent her head for a kiss, her hands roaming over the soft, smooth skin of Janet’s back. _“Mmmph…”_ Her eyes drifted closed at the embrace, “but we do have to _mmmoooph…”_ Her hands pulled the bath towel from Janet’s lithe form, letting it fall to the floor even as Janet’s smaller hands pushed her panties down the long limbs and urged her backward until she sat in the overstuffed chair.

 

Helen’s breath had grown short and she squeezed her eyes tightly shut when Janet knelt between her spread knees and pulling her panties from one foot, pressed her face hard between her legs and into already slippery folds. She grunted, arching her pelvis and draping her long legs over the cushioned arms of the chair, providing more access to Janet’s hungry mouth.

 

Overcome by Helen’s taste and smell, Janet’s eyes closed and she licked and suckled the florid length, her ministrations becoming more frantic as she struggled to lick away the creamy essence that flooded the quivering opening. She suckled the inner folds and scraped the edge of her teeth across the wide hardened structure of Helen’s burgeoning clitoris. Unable to eat the entirety of her all at once, Janet settled for inserting first two then three fingers into Helen’s burning center and suckled and laved the clit hard when Helen grunted and whimpered, bucking wantonly against her mouth. Janet gripped the quaking flesh with her free hand and moaned low in her throat. She twisted her fingers, curling them within and pumped wildly, rubbing the pebbled patch until she could feel Helen’s rhythmic bucking become uncontrolled convulsions and she slid her lips over the suddenly spurting geyser and drank the sweet syrupy ejaculate that pumped and squirted loudly from Helen’s body.

 

Behind Helen’s closed eyes the dark world blew blinding white and her mouth opened in a silent scream as she arched rigidly, her knuckles showing white as she gripped the back of the chair and came, shaking violently with the force of her orgasm. The waves of pleasure were slow to fade and Janet continued to nuzzle and suckle the flesh, only pulling her fingers from the urethral sponge so she could lick the creamy cum from the elegant digits before sliding them back inside and drawing out more of the creamy wealth.

 

The climax began to fade and Helen weakly rolled forward and stroked the soft hair in hands that trembled in pleasurable aftermath. When Janet finally responded to the soft hands, she drew the flat of her tongue from perineum to clit and looked up into deep blue eyes, rising onto her knees; she let Helen guide her bruised lips to her own. Helen whimpered softly at the exquisite taste of her own cum and ejaculate on Janet’s lips and inside her mouth and her tongue languidly probed and stroked in the soft warm depths.

 

 _“Thank you.”_ Janet husked.

 

Helen’s brows arched high on her forehead, “I believe _I’m_ the one who should be saying that…” she whispered, still breathless.

 

“Well,” Janet shrugged and kissed her again, “I owed you for that wonderful orgasm in the shower, so I thought I’d return the favor.”

 

“Yes…” Helen looked sheepish, “but that’s because I still felt guilty for coming on you while you slept…”

 

“Yes,” Janet pressed close and breathed in her mouth, “I believe it was when you told me that, that I came so hard,” her lips twitched in a feral grin, “while you were inside me, and finger-fucking my cunt.”

 

 _“Dear God,”_ Helen’s vision swam at the memory of pumping her fingers inside Janet while performing anilingus between the shapely muscled mounds, “it is precisely this kind of talk, Doctor Fraiser, that will make us late for breakfast.”

 

Janet rose until she stood before her, her bare breasts level with Helen’s widely dilated eyes, “Yes, Doctor Magnus,” she stated rather matter-of-factly, the smile evident in her voice, “I know.”

 

***

 

 _How on Earth did we end up like this?_ Aeryn wondered silently as she held onto Kathleen’s arms and grunted breathlessly with each thrust of the double jelly dong. Because the double-ended sex toy was so heavy and not curved for easy or simple sex positions they used it rarely and usually only when Kathleen wanted to be on top and rough-fuck. Aeryn lay on her back and Kathleen knelt between her legs, scissor-style, and their moans were punctuated by the loud wet slapping noises of the ends of the thick blue jelly dong banging in their depths and their vulvas, sodden with water-based lube and creamy cum, slapping against one another.

 

 _“Too hard?”_ Kathleen asked, breathless.

 

“No,” Aeryn assured her, _“fuck me harder…”_

 

She cried out as Kathleen gripped her arms and thrust the dildo harder, grunting aloud with the effort. Aeryn’s eyes slammed shut and she whimpered as the jelly dong rammed into her depths. Memories of spanking and flogging Kathleen the night before, and later smoothing her hands over the reddened backside while she mouthed and tongued her rear channel and admired the pink and red stripes left across the muscular back made desperate keening noises issue from her throat.

 

The sounds of Aeryn’s complete surrender made Kathleen sob in gratitude and her body became rigid as she leaned back, still gripping Aeryn’s arms and throwing back her head, screamed in release. A thick stream of clear ejaculate squirted loudly onto Aeryn’s newly shaved mound, and Kathleen gasped and moaned as her body jerked and writhed and she ejaculated again, this time the clear cum splashed onto Aeryn’s flat abdomen and drawing a ragged, sobbing breath, she cried out and ejaculated a final time, forcefully between Aeryn’s breasts.

 

Kathleen’s orgasm and the feel of the hot cum splashing on her skin triggered Aeryn’s and she came, sobbing and convulsing wildly; her body felt as though every cell was coming, climaxing and exploding into flames of pleasure and she surrendered utterly. Kathleen laughed as joy suffused her being and her tears fell onto Aeryn’s ejaculate that erupted, geyser-like, from between her upturned legs.

 

When the waves of burning pleasure and release began to subside, Kathleen made a conscious effort to release Aeryn’s trembling forearms and fell back on the bed, making the dildo pull with a loud slurping, plopping sound from her center.

 

 _“God…”_ Aeryn moaned and grabbed the cum-coated toy, pulling the opposite end from her own depths and brought the end that had been inside Kathleen to her lips. Still breathless, she closed her weary red-rimmed eyes and licked the sacred essence from the toy and weakly rolled onto all fours and crawled across the mattress, offering the other end to her lover.

 

Kathleen lay spread eagle in exhaustion on the mattress but she managed a tired smile and took the offered end in her mouth, her eyes locking on Aeryn’s as she suckled each other’s tangy salt-sweet cum. She reveled in the exquisite flavor and became aware, once again, of the soreness of her backside and the tingling flares of pain across her back. She pulled the dildo from her mouth with a satisfying slurp and grinned,

 

“How ever did we get here?” she murmured, her brows rising in mock innocence.

 

Aeryn let go of the double dong and grinned back, “I believe I had progressed from admiring your beautiful backside…” Aeryn muttered as she crawled between Kathleen’s legs, spreading them as she made herself comfortable between the long limbs, “and was paying respectful worship to your other attributes.” She stroked a soft inner thigh and nuzzled the bare mound as she spoke.

 

Over time, Aeryn noticed that Kathleen’s inner labia seemed to be growing longer, no doubt, she had mused aloud, the sensitive folds were being stretched by all the prolonged sessions of suckling and fellating. Her feral musings soon turned to concern, until Kathleen stopped her, assuring her she didn’t mind, it was just one more “mark” of her love for Aeryn. _“I adore having your mark on me when you whip me or spank my ass red...” she had assured her, “But I love that this is a permanent mark. I love feeling how they dangle….”_

 

“Hmmm...” Aeryn hummed into the wet flesh, “I really am going to have to clean this up.” she whispered and began licking away the drying cum and lube.

 

 _“Oh…”_ Kathleen’s lids fluttered and her eyes rolled upwards as she closed them, “That’s how we…” she squirmed on the mattress, relishing again the stinging sensations flaring across her back, “you were trying to swallow my dangles when I…” her voice faded and she finished silently, _when I grabbed that dong and fucked our pussies with it._ She was too tired to come again, but the exquisite sensations from Aeryn’s mouth were sublimely enjoyable nonetheless and she hummed and sighed quietly while she cleaned her.

 

Eventually, Aeryn wrapped her arms around the lean thighs and pillowed her head on the soft mound. Sighing, her eyes drifted closed and she murmured, “And for the record, _my lady_ , I love putting my mark on you, permanent and temporary alike.”

 

 _“Hmm…”_ Kathleen mumbled. “So odd…”

 

“It is?”

 

 _“No…”_ Kathleen snorted, her brows knitting while struggled to put her thoughts into words, “I was just thinking how… for us, rough sex… spanking and flogging…”

 

 _“Umm hmm...”_ Aeryn hummed and nuzzled the perfect hairless mound.

 

“And really _hard_ fucking is such a _powerful_ turn on… for us… these identical sex acts,” her eyes remained closed but her brows still furrowed in concentration, “can be used… by others… to terrify… hurt and torture.” She paused, sighing when she felt Aeryn place a soft kiss on her pudendal cleft.

 

 _“Intention…”_ Aeryn whispered, “Intention marks the difference.”

 

 _“Hmmm,”_ Kathleen agreed, “ _Marks_ …. The marks of intention and perception… marking and sometimes blurring the line between nightmare and massive turn-on.”

 

Aeryn finally raised her head and blearily peered up between large breasts at her, “How on Earth do we manage to have such intellectual conversations after having so much sex?”

 

“Well,” Kathleen grinned, reaching for her, “we’re both highly sexual and intelligent women.”

 

“Well, yes…”Aeryn snorted in amusement, “I am… finally, now that I’m with _you_ , my lady.”

 

***

 

“Good morning everyone.” Helen said brightly as they entered the dining room.

 

Will looked up from his nearly empty plate, “Hey, I was beginning to think you two were skipping breakfast today.”

 

“Skip breakfast?” Helen scoffed as she and Janet filled their plates from the side table, “Never.”

 

Kate’s eyes narrowed and both Henry and Bigfoot stared determinedly down at the second helpings heaped on their plates. Will looked slightly confused and was about to speak again when Janet interrupted him,

 

“Breakfast is, _supposedly_ ,” she turned briefly to flash him a bright smile, “the most important meal of the day.”

 

“Uh… huh….” His brows arched skeptically, “well, you can take your time; we got a call that the truck bringing us our flying sand dollars had a flat so they got held up for a couple of hours.”

 

“Really?” Helen asked, trying to sound concerned.

 

 “They’re back on the road,” Henry said around a mouthful of food, “They’ll be here in an hour or so.”

 

“How in the hell can a sand dollar fly?” Kate asked, truly perplexed.

 

“More importantly,” Will countered, stabbing a fork in her direction for emphasis, “why would they want to?”

 

“Doesn’t make sense,” Henry agreed, “they spend their lives on the ocean floor, right?”

 

Helen and Janet took their seats at the table and Helen shrugged, “They can live in both deep and shallow waters, depending on the species.” She pulled the cloth napkin onto her lap, “And this particular species was found in shallow waters.”

 

“And they don’t fly,” Janet dug into her breakfast with gusto, “they hover.”

 

Helen poured tea for Janet and herself, “Both males and females of the Mellita Quinquiesperforata species actually hover just above the surface of the water during the mating season…”

 

Bigfoot brows arched, “To attract a mate?”

 

“Doubt it,” Janet paused, egg-laden fork held in midair as she regarded the question, “since they don’t have eyes…”

 

“That we’re aware of.” Helen nodded then shrugged, “My best guess, at the moment, is that it must have to do with the production of gametes just prior to reproduction.”

 

Kate’s eyes had gone glassy, “Uh _huh_ …” she rose from the table, taking her empty plate with her, “I’m gonna’ go see how Chuck’s doing with the morning feed.” Referring to the two-faced sanctuary resident, she headed for the kitchen, her eagerness to escape obvious to everyone.

 

“Doc,” Henry interjected, “you know how I’ve been keeping a close watch on Tesla’s Mexican clinic like you wanted?”

 

Helen’s brows arched, disappearing beneath the dark bangs, “And how is our friend doing?”

 

He looked at her disbelievingly before returning his attention to the slice of toast he buttered, “Uh, _your_ friend, maybe…  I guess he sold it because it appears to be under new ownership.”

 

“And Nikola?’ Janet asked, her distrust for the scientist and now ex-vampire coloring her voice.

 

Henry shook his head, “I tried to track the money from the transaction but he’s good…” Henry shrugged in concession to Tesla’s cunning. “Despite the fact he accidentally de-vamped himself I still haven’t been able to track him down… so far.”

 

 _“Fine.”_ Will picked up his plate and rose from the table, “As long as he’s done trying to raise his own private army of vampires made from a bunch of spoiled brat losers.”

 

Bigfoot snorted in amusement, “Someone sounds bitter.”

 

Will looked offended, “You weren’t there.”

 

“Dude,” Henry snorted, “you got beat up by a _girl_.”

 

 _“Uh…”_ Will paused before disappearing in the kitchen, “a _vampire_ girl, okay?” His voice faded in an echo, “ _Big_ difference there.”

 

Janet snorted in amusement but echoed the sentiment, “I agree…” she nodded, “I wish he would stop tinkering with failed projects of The Cabal.”

 

~

 

Will and Kate were already out on the sanctuary’s loading dock when Janet and Helen joined them.

 

“Why didn’t he back all the way in?” Janet shielded her eyes from the late morning sun.

 

Will turned to her, “The lift on the truck isn’t working so Big Guy’s getting a forklift to get the tanks out.”

 

Janet walked a few feet past Helen and when she turned to look back at her she was struck once again by her beauty; she looked at ease, dressed in the black jeans and a fresh white shirt, she rested her weight on one, long elegant leg, her arms crossed in front of her. To Janet, the relaxed pose revealed a body of strength, beauty, grace, _and stunning sexual prowess_ , Janet silently snickered inwardly and turned her attention back to the truck.

 

_After bringing her to climax with her mouth, Janet had pulled open the drawer of their sex toys and pulled out the Realdoe. Without a word, Helen took the toy from her and as Janet walked over to their bed she grabbed the lubricant and an anal plug with a vibrating bullet inserted in the end. “All fours…” was all she said as she placed a bare angular foot on the mattress alongside Janet and inserted the bulb end of the toy. “Helen…” Janet urged her, impatient, and gasped aloud when she felt the lubed anal plug slide into her rear channel. “Oh my god…” she had groaned._

 

Janet licked her lips and blinked, trying to shake the memory of Helen rolling her onto her back, her vibrating backside raised on a pillow on their still unmade bed and sliding the realistic-looking lubed silicone dildo into her hungry center. Helen had unbuttoned her shirt and Janet found the vision of her intoxicating. _It’s just the way she looks when she’s on top of me,_ Janet mused silently, _strong, powerful, sexy and beautiful whether she’s ramming into me or just…_ Janet shook her head to clear it then cleared her throat and sniffed, _Jesus,_ calm down _, you’ll have a nice long weekend to fuck her every way you can think of._

 

She turned her head to look after Will and Kate, who turned to watch as Bigfoot emerged from around the corner of the building with the forklift, driving slowly.

 

“How big are these tanks?” Kate asked when Helen suddenly cried out.

 

Janet whirled at the sound and her eyes opened wide in astonishment, _“Helen!”_ she cried and stopped, frozen in place.

 

Helen had dropped to her knees and Ashley stood behind her, a taser in her hand, _“Mom…”_ she sneered, orange eyes blazing in defiance at Janet then abruptly teleported away, taking Helen with her.

 

Janet screamed, _“NO!”_ and as she rushed forward Bigfoot suddenly wrapped a long muscular arm around her and tucking her against his side like a football, ran for the sanctuary’s loading dock and keyed the radio in his free hand, _“HENRY!”_ he roared, _“Get the shield up full power!”_

 

Will and Kate stared open-mouthed at the empty space where Magnus had just been standing before she grabbed him by the arm and ran after the meganthropus, their radios crackling to life,

 

 _“Uh… okay, okay!”_ Henry’s voice sounded harried and distant, _“I got it! What’s happening?”_

 

***

 

Her eyelids fluttered briefly and a low groan escaped her dry lips. She licked them and slowly opened her eyes, _“What…?”_ she rasped hoarsely, _“what…”_ her voice faded as her eyes focused on the face hovering over her,

 

“Well,” Ashley said brightly, “ _there_ you are!”

 

Helen’s eyes opened wide, _“Ashley?”_ she cried and suddenly grunted painfully when she tried to rise. She fell back on the bed she was lying on and Ashley laughed as both confusion and astonishment passed over Helen’s face.

 

Suddenly breathless with shock, Helen struggled in the bonds as her brain struggled to absorb that she was tied to a bed… and naked, “Ash-Ashley!” she sputtered, _“What’s happening?”_ she rasped, panic rising as she regarded her hands and feet shackled in unforgiving handcuffs and leg irons and chained to the head and baseboard on the narrow bed.

 

“I think this was one of the kid’s rooms.” Ashley gestured casually over her shoulder to the German language posters mounted on the walls and sat next to Helen on the mattress.

 

“Ashley…” Helen begged, “Please… _please…”_

 

Ashley suddenly stood and turning, punched Helen in the stomach, hard. Helen cried out, her words leaving in a rush with the vicious blow.

 

 _“From here on out,”_ she bent close, jabbing a finger in her face, “you will _only_ speak when I say you can.”

 

Helen’s eyes were terrified and that seemed to further anger her daughter and she knelt on the bed and slapped Helen across the face, first with her palm, then the back of her hand until she split Helen’s lips and her nose bled.

 

Tears streamed from Helen’s eyes and she shook her head from side to side, _“You’re not my daughter…”_

 

Ashley struck her again, cutting off her words, and leaned close to her face, _“Silence…”_ she breathed, wiping blood from Helen’s split lips with her thumb, “Not unless I _tell_ you you can _speak…”_ she murmured and stuck the digit in her mouth. Her eyelids fluttered briefly as she tasted the blood and turned to regard her again, “Where was I? Oh yeah… you won’t let me come home,” her voice suddenly turned softly petulant, her eyes clouding in pain, “Why won’t you let me come home, mom?”

 

Helen swallowed and her lips trembled, “I... I wanted you to come home…”

 

“You sent us away and you wouldn’t let us come back.”

 

 _“No…”_ tears teamed from Helen’s eyes, “No, I didn’t, I…”

 

“You wouldn’t let Janet come back,” Ashley shrugged and stood, “All I wanted was to come home,” she said in a small voice, “and be your daughter again....” She shed the black leather jacket she wore and tossed it onto a nearby chair then pulled the black tank top and sports bra over her head and tossed them as well. “But that didn’t quite work out, did it mom?” she turned sorrowful eyes to her, “And then you tried to kill me.”

 

 _“No…”_ Helen shook her head miserably from side to side, “No, Ashley, I swear…”

 

A flash of anger suddenly suffused the young woman’s face and she snapped back to her, her hand raised to strike. Helen flinched and a short bark of laughter erupted from her, _“Yeah…”_ she grinned, triumphant, “ _that’s_ better.” she smirked and unbuttoned and unzipped the black cargo slacks.

 

Helen kept her eyes closed and she cried softly, “ _Ashley…_ ” she whispered, barely audible, _“Ashley…”_

 

“Yes, mom…”

 

She felt her climb onto the bed next to her,

 

“You didn’t want me, but we’re together again anyway.” Naked, Ashley curled next to Helen on the bed and pressed close against her.

 

 _“Ashley…”_ Helen gasped; curled next to her in a fetal position, Ashley clasped the nearest breast and began to suckle. Helen’s eyes opened wide in confusion and shock at the sight of her daughter contentedly, if loudly, mouthing and sucking her nipple. She blinked the tears from her eyes and licked the blood from her split lips, wincing unconsciously at the pain. _What’s happening?_ she thought, confused and overwhelmed by the conflicting emotions, fear chief among them.

 

 _“Mmm,”_ Ashley purred and licked at the hardened structure of Helen’s saliva-slick nipple, “I’ve missed you so much, mom…” she sighed and sucked the nipple back in her mouth. While she suckled she fondled Helen’s breast, several minutes passed this way until she pulled free and looked down adoringly into Helen’s face, “You see?” she smiled sweetly and uncurling, slid on top of her.

 

 _“Ashley…”_ panic returned to Helen’s voice as Ashley lay on top of her and straddled her thigh.

 

“I’ve wanted to touch you…” her voice turned silky and she licked and nuzzled Helen’s other nipple, _“Feel you again…”_ she husked and sucked the nipple in her mouth.

 

Helen eyes opened wide in horror when Ashley began wantonly humping her thigh and she struggled in the bonds, “NO!” she cried, trying to throw Ashley off her, _“ASHLEY NO!”_

 

 _“Mmm YES!”_ Ashley growled against her flesh and bit down hard on Helen’s breast, making her arch back on the bed and scream. She smiled when she felt her teeth sink into the soft flesh and she undulated on the thigh between her legs even harder, opening herself fully and wetly stroking the wildly quaking limb as she fed on Helen’s blood.

 

Helen screamed and cried in agony, writhing in the bonds, unable to escape or make the nightmare stop while Ashley wildly ground on her until she wrenched her blood-smeared mouth from Helen’s tortured breast and throwing her head back, filled the small bedroom with her cries as the orgasm crashed over her straining body and between her legs.

 

 _“AUGH!”_ she cried out as the violent tremors continued to shake her as she bucked on Helen’s thigh, _“Oh yes!”_ she looked down at her mother and laughed, _“You really are a great fuck, mom!”_

 

Helen’s face was a mask of agonized terror and heartbreak as Ashley lay back down on her, hugging her in sweet afterglow. _“Oh yeah….”_ she sighed and raised her head enough to lick the blood that streamed from the deep bite wounds on Helen’s breast. Helen wept in pain and fear while Ashley made loud licking and sucking sounds until the bleeding stopped then, smiling, crawled up Helen’s quaking form, “That was _great_ , mom, thanks.” Her orange eyes shone brightly and she placed a wet kiss on her mother’s lips. Helen tried to pull away but Ashley held her in place and forced her tongue in Helen’s mouth.

 

Helen’s eyes slammed shut, and her mind began to shut down as she wished with her soul that she was somewhere… _anywhere_ but here in this bed. She concentrated on breathing though her nose until Ashley released her mouth and licked playfully at the blood on her face,

 

“You are one delicious woman…” she chuckled, “I can see why the ladies always liked you.” she mumbled, licking and kissing her way down Helen’s throat. She crawled down Helen’s length, kissing and leaving a wet trail of blood and saliva down her body.

 

Shaking uncontrollably, Helen slipped into shock and she whimpered in fear as Ashley licked and laved her way between her legs. Ashley grabbed a pillow from the end of the bed and pushed it under Helen’s buttocks, “Oh mother,” she sighed in a singsong voice, “I’m going to eat your pussy so hard…” she plunged her tongue between Helen’s folds and feasted with wild abandon. She growled into the flesh and licked and suckled and chewed the tender flesh until, against her will, Helen’s body began to respond.

 

Helen squeezed her eyes closed tight against the sensation of hot creamy cum flooding from deep in her body and she strained against the cruel biting bonds that held her, crying out in fear and shame.

 

 _“Come for me, mom.”_ Ashley whispered against the quivering flesh. _“You taste so good,”_ she breathed, savoring the musky salt-sweet cream on her tongue, “Mmm, yes… _delicious_.”

 

Great heaving sobs broke from Helen as she felt the orgasm approach, _“NO!”_ she shouted, _“ASHLEY NO!”_ she begged and arched rigidly on the bed, screaming as she climaxed.

 

Ashley grinned ferally and stuck her tongue as deep as it would go. She loudly slurped and lapped the cum from her depths and returned to sucking the folds deep in her mouth, shoving three fingers deep inside. _“That’s it, mom...”_ she murmured thickly, _“Just come while I fuck your pussy.”_ She drove the fingers inside hard and rubbed her mother’s large clitoris, watching her bound body jerk and convulse until she ejaculated. Squealing in delight, Ashley lapped at the syrupy clear cum, grunting carnally at the sugary sweet taste.

 

***

 

“Hey,” Kate pulled at Will’s sleeve and whispered, “did you see her eyes?” He looked quizzically at her and shook his head in the negative, “Ashley’s… they were _orange_.”

 

They were in Henry’s lab and everyone in the room heard her and fell silent.

 

“Just like the…” her voice faded as she regarded Janet’s tense form, “like the last time we saw her.”

 

“Henry,” Janet licked her lips and drew a deep breath, trying to remain composed, “what about the driver?”

 

Henry shrugged as his fingers flew across the keyboard, “Uh… he checks out…”

 

“He doesn’t appear to have any ties with the Cabal.” Bigfoot husked, “But I’m still gonna hang onto him for a while.” Will arched his eyebrows at him and he shrugged, “Just in case.”

 

“Tell him it’s for his own protection right now.” Janet nodded and leaned back in the chair, pressing the heels of her hands into her temples.

 

“It wouldn’t be a lie...” Henry mumbled as he stared fixedly at the screen.

 

“So we should assume, for the moment,” Will gestured impotently with one hand, “that she was just waiting for an opportunity.”

 

“And us dropping the EM shield for a delivery made for an easy target.” Kate added, staring at the center monitor on Henry’s desk.

 

“Here it is.”

 

Henry blew up the image to fill the screen and the group watched in stunned silence as the security video showed Ashley teleporting in just behind Helen and jamming a taser in her lower back. Janet’s chin trembled as she watched Helen arch stiffly for a moment, her head arching back as she cried out, then fell to her knees. Ashley grabbed her by the shirt collar to keep her from falling facedown and Will read her lips silently mouthing _Mom…_ at Janet before teleporting away with her mother.

 

“I don’t get it...” he shook his head in frustration, “Dana Whitcomb is dead. She was found with her throat slashed in Paris… if you cut off the head of the Cabal the snake dies.” He looked helplessly at them, “Isn’t that how it’s supposed to work?”

 

“Guess someone else is in charge now.” Kate said unhappily, shoving her hands into her jeans pockets.

 

The group remained silent until Henry finally said, “So now what?”

 

Janet released the breath she’d been holding, “Keep your ear to the ground, Henry… Until we have a lead… I don’t know,” she shook her head, “wait for a ransom…” and drew a deep clearing breath, “and pray they want to make a deal of some sort.”

 

A monitor on Henry’s desk beeped and a small dialogue box appeared on the screen, “Vancouver sanctuary.” he murmured quietly.

 

Janet nodded, “Answer it.”

 

Aeryn and Kathleen’s concerned faces filled the screen, “We got your message,” Aeryn spoke from the sanctuary’s lab, “we’re on our way.”

 

Janet hesitated for a nanosecond, “Good,” she nodded and stood, “get here.”

 

Both women nodded and the screen blacked out as Janet strode from the room, Will following along behind. The elevator doors were open and Janet stepped inside and hit the button with the side of her fist, “Not now, Will.” she said flatly, her tone making it clear she did not want to discuss her feelings about either Helen or Ashley with the sanctuary psychiatrist.

 

Will shoved his hands in his pockets, “So…” he said, ignoring her, “Ashley’s… back.”

 

“Yes,” Janet curtly replied as the doors slid shut, “she is.”

 

***

 

“One more time…” Ashley climbed up her length, a chuckle sounding low in her throat, “Three’s a charm, _as they say.”_ She straddled Helen’s thigh and began to undulate, opening her legs wider and rubbing her open folds and center on the cum-softened skin. Staying on her elbow, Ashley patted Helen’s uninjured breast, “So _creamy_ …” she pinched and twisted the nipple, “And to think I grew up big and strong drinking from these.” Helen tried to speak but her mouth was dry and she coughed weakly. Ashley lay her weight on her and used her free hand to angle the nipple toward her mouth. _“Mmm…”_ Ashley hummed and closed her eyes as she wiggled against Helen’s body, “so soft.” She began to hump Helen’s thigh in earnest, _“Mmm, oh yeah…”_ Ashley moaned around the breast in her mouth and slid her hand down over Helen’s abdomen and between her legs.

 

 _“Feel me now,”_ she mumbled and moaned, shoving three fingers inside. “Feel me _fuck_ you.” she groaned as she undulated her now wet center against her, bathing Helen’s thigh in cum and pumped her fingers with brutal force inside her body, _“feel my cum….”_ Helen began to cry brokenly but could no longer produce any tears. _“Come on, mom!”_ Ashley’s temper began to rise and she violently ground her hips, making the springs in the bed squeak loudly and the headboard on the narrow bed bang into the wall. She pounded her fingers inside hard but Helen’s body could no longer lubricate and she sobbed wretchedly,

 

 _“Ashley!”_ she begged, _“Stop! Stop Ashley, please!”_

 

Ashley’s face was red with rage, _“Beg me to come in your mouth...”_ she snarled, her lips curling into a sneer, _“BEG ME!”_ Her body became rigid and trembled violently and she threw back her head, arching on her mother, roaring aloud as the waves crashed over her and she cried out, shrieking in climax. When she looked back down at Helen’s tightly shut eyes she bared her clenched teeth in rage, _“You will_ beg _me…”_ she growled, and getting onto all fours, easily flipped Helen on her stomach on the bed, _“I’ll show you…”_

 

There was no pillow beneath Helen’s head and her bound hands were now stretched at a new angle above her head, the spasming muscles in her arms objecting to the new pain and Helen cried out. Frantically, Ashley’s eyes scanned the room until they fell on an alarm clock on a bureau and she leapt from the mattress and snatched it, ripping the cord from the wall. Yanking the cord from the base of the clock she folded it in half and holding the folded end, whipped her mother’s back, the plug and raw wires raising welts and tearing skin, drawing blood. Helen screamed in agony, unable to form words and making Ashley smile demonically,

 

 _“YES!”_ she cried triumphantly, _“JUST, LIKE, THAT!”_ she shouted, punctuating each word with a blow from the cord. She beat the length of Helen’s body; back, legs and buttocks. Helen shrieked and cried with each frenzied lash, her body flailing helplessly on the mattress, held in place by the shackles until Ashley’s rage was spent and she turned and threw the bloodied cord against the wall with a breathless roar. She stumbled and grabbed the bureau for support, panting for a long minute until she caught her breath and regained some semblance of control.

 

 _“Why do you do that?”_ she asked, still breathless. “Why do you push me?” She turned and regarded Helen’s bleeding, weeping form and nodded in renewed determination, _“I’ll show you…”_ she panted, _“I will…”_ she whispered hoarsely and abruptly teleported.  Helen lay limply on the bed, still weeping in pain and fear, unaware of the blood that ran from her uncontrollably shaking body and soaked the mattress beneath. Several minutes passed before Helen’s mind began to clear and she struggled futilely against her bonds until she both heard and felt the familiar, terrifying rush of air as Ashley teleported back into the room.

 

 _“_ Not yet _, my darling…”_ Ashley whispered close to Helen’s ear in mocking imitation, _“I’m not done yet.”_ She flipped Helen onto her back and jammed a pillow under her backside, elevating her pelvis, “I’m gonna fuck you so deep and so hard, mother.” A large black dildo bobbed from a harness between her legs and Ashley’s smile was dark as she gave the straps one more tug.  Helen tried to speak but only moans of pain escaped her lips and she weakly shook her head from side to side, her puffy eyes pleading. Ashley adjusted the leg irons on Helen’s ankles, spreading her legs apart and climbed onto the bed, looking triumphant as she knelt between the bloodied limbs. Her orange eyes blazed down at Helen as she again thrust her fingers inside, fondling her clit and folds with her thumb, trying to make her wet. Helen looked at her with terrorized eyes at once agonized and heartbroken.

 

 _“What’s the matter, mom?”_ Ashley cooed, cocking her head to one side as she looked down at her, “All dried up down here are ya’? Oh well,” she shrugged, “that’ll work too.” She pulled the fingers from within and got into position, angling the enormous head of the thick cock at Helen’s bruised opening.

 

 _“P-P-Please…”_ Helen rasped.

 

 _“Ah, yes,”_ Ashley looked down at her, pleased, “that’s more like it...” she grinned and grunted as she rammed the length of the large phallus inside. Helen’s body arched and she screamed in agony and Ashley wrapped her arms tightly around her mother’s pain-wracked form, _“Oh yes…”_ she murmured, laying her cheek between Helen’s breasts, listening to her heart pound frantically in her chest. Grunting, she rammed the unyielding dildo in Helen’s body for what seemed like an eternity before muttering, _“One last hole…”_ She pushed from the mattress, yanking the cock free and making Helen moan low in her chest and draw deep, shuddering sobbing breaths.

 

“Oh we’re not done yet, _my love_ ,” Ashley snorted and flipped her mother facedown again. She shoved her bloody legs apart and froze when the cock, dripping blood from its tip, caught her eye, _“Ah yesss…”_ she hissed between clenched teeth and worked the blood-slick dong into Helen’s rear channel. Helen’s body stiffened then limply sank into the blood and sweat-soaked mattress beneath.

 

 _“Again,”_ Ashley panted grinning, “let’s hear it…” she ordered as she pumped the bloody length inside, _“Beg me.”_ Helen was unresponsive and Ashley buried the enormous shaft deep and hard, making Helen whimper, “BEG ME!”

 

 _“Please…”_ Helen mumbled in a flat whisper, _“Please…”_

 

A beatific smile passed over Ashley’s face and she slid a hand beneath the harness, “Again…”

 

 _“Please.”_ Helen rasped faintly.

 

Ashley’s hips bucked and she fondled her clit, _“Again…”_ she whispered, still pumping the cock. Helen didn’t respond and she rammed the dildo hard, _“I SAID AGAIN!”_

 

Helen’s lips hardly moved when she whispered, _“Please…”_ barely audible.

 

Ashley’s eyes slammed shut and her body stiffened as she came, dark waves of intense pleasure crashing over her in a flaming burning heat. _“Oh yes…”_ she rasped hoarsely, _“Just… like… that…”_ She moaned and whimpered in pleasure until the waves subsided and when she opened her eyes again she regarded the torn bloody mess of her mother’s back, _“Mmm,”_ she hummed contentedly and drew the flat of her tongue over a long gash seeping fresh blood, “extra coppery…” She mumbled then grinned, “must be all that Source Blood swimming around in there.”

 

She rose onto her knees, watching as the bloody dildo pulled from Helens’ bruised and blood-filled backside. “Oh, that is pretty though…” Ashley moaned appreciatively as she climbed from the bed. “Overall, I’d have to say this has been _awesome_ ….” Ashley loosened the straps and let the strap-on fall to the hardwood floor, the heavy phallus thudding when it hit and splattering it with Helen’s blood. She yawned and stumbled back to the bed, easily flipping Helen onto her back one-handedly, “I’m gonna crash for a while before we go…” She climbed on the mattress, “But I gotta’ piss first so…” The maniacal grin returned as she straddled her mother’s face, “Now drink from me,” she petted her mother’s hair, “and if you spill _one drop_ ,” she crooned, the sing song quality returning to her voice, “I’ll kill everyone you love…” 

 

Helen’s eyes were dull and Ashley inserted her fingers in her mouth and pulled her lower jaw down. Feeling with her fingertips, she positioned her urethra over Helen’s open mouth and bared her teeth, her audible grunts masking the sound of her squirts of urine. Helen closed her eyes, forcing her mind to detach and willing her body to accept the hot acrid urine that poured into her mouth. Low moans sounded deep in her chest when she swallowed, two twin tears squeezing from the corners of her swollen eyes.

 

Ashley’s eyes closed in relief as her bladder emptied and she laughed triumphantly, “Oh _fuck_ that feels better….” She snorted and grunted once more, thrusting against Helen’s face as she squeezed, excreting the last of the urine from her bladder. She climbed off the bed and shuffled sleepily to the door, absently scratching her furred mound, the soft blond curls and the muscular thighs caked with dark splotches of her mother’s blood.

 

Helen’s body suddenly jerked spasmodically and she turned onto her side as much as the unforgiving bonds would allow and retched, pitiful cries tearing from her as she vomited the urine from her stomach.

 

Ashley stopped in the doorway, turning to watch as her mother gagged, “Oh well,” she sighed then snickered amusedly, “I didn’t say you had to keep it down….”

 

***

 

Janet scrubbed her face with both hands as she entered Henry’s lab, after Kathleen and Aeryn arrived she had ordered everyone to bed; they all needed to be at their best when the break in Helen’s abduction finally came. But she had tossed and turned in the bed she shared with Helen all night long, images of Ashley tasing Helen playing on a relentless loop while she stared, terrified, in the dark of their room. The fact that the last time Helen saw their daughter they were trying to kill each other was not lost on Janet. She had spent the terrible day and night with two thoughts warring with each other in her head; the first that Helen was dead and the second that if Ashley had wanted to kill her she would have done it in front of Janet, so Janet could see her do it. The burning defiance in her daughter’s blazing orange eyes had stunned her, stopping her physically the nanosecond before Ashley teleported Helen away.

 

Aeryn recognized the exhausted gesture and gave the small shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Janet dropped a hand over hers, “Thanks for coming…” she said, nodding to both women.

 

Kathleen gazed at her with intense blue eyes, “We _will_ find her.”

 

“Stan heard it going in the catacombs…” Bigfoot rasped, holding his hands in front of him in classic primate concentration as he gazed at the large metal device, his head cocking to one side in bemusement.

 

Kate stared down at the slowly clacking metal keys with one brow raised high on her smooth forehead, “And why was Stan in the catacombs?” she asked, her arms folded across her chest.

 

“He likes it down there.” Bigfoot said simply.

 

“It’s a lizard thing.” Henry added, making Kate look at him disbelievingly.

 

Janet’s lips pursed impatiently at the rudimentary-looking typewriter, “I haven’t seen this in a long time…” she muttered in a low voice.

 

“Okay, so no batteries…” Will gestured at the clicking machine, “what gives?”

 

“It’s an Autotype,” Janet explained, “one of only five that was built during the Second World War. Helen had...” She drew a careful breath, “had a lot to do with the Allies using these so they could communicate secretly.” While Janet spoke she tore a narrow strip of paper on Henry’s desk and fed it into the still typing device, “It transmits and receives a fluctuating electromagnetic frequency that can’t be intercepted.”

 

“So...” Will shrugged, “that’s cool.”

 

“Well, it would be,” Janet watched as the paper slowly progressed through the machine, “except this is supposed to be the only survivor.”

 

Will and Kate’s brows arched, “Then,” he asked, “where’s the message coming from?”

 

Janet looked annoyed, “From the _one_ man who knows of its existence and how to use it…” her lips pressed together in a thin line while she held the end of the strip as it emerged from the device, punctures showing in the paper. When she held it up the letters _SOS_ were clearly punched in the strip, “This is a _distress_ call,” she sounded irritated, “from Nikola Tesla.”

 

~

 

Bigfoot slowly fed strips of paper into the Autotype for nearly an hour until Henry concluded they had received the full message that was being transmitted repeatedly on a continuous loop. Janet was nearly beside herself when she gazed down at the paper strips, lined up across his desk,

 

_“SOS HELEN COME 10 24N 75 30W ASHLEY”_

 

The room tilted to one side when Janet saw her daughter’s name and the sound of Henry’s fingers on the keyboard sounded distant until she heard him say,

 

“The coordinates are three hundred clicks west of Cartagena, in the Colombian Highlands…. The signal’s been fading in and out, possibly due to interference,” he shrugged, “so he could be underground.”

 

“Good work Henry, arrange for transport with Aeryn.” She turned to Kate, “You’ll be in charge here while we’re gone…” Kate’s brows rose high on her forehead and Janet continued, “Kathleen will stay with you, she can handle any issue with her expertise in crypto and xenobiology…”

 

Kathleen nodded, “We’ll be fine.”

 

“Great,” Kate nodded confidently, “as long as she has all the _ologies_ covered Chuck and I can handle the rest.”

 

“Excellent,” Janet stalked from the room, turning briefly to the others, “we’ll leave in an hour.”

 

***

 

Helen stared at the ceiling, her mind dully recognizing the fall of night in the darkening room. She avoided all movement on the soiled bed, any movement still invoked throbbing searing pain and she surrendered to the bonds that held her and lay still as hours passed, unnoticed.  She slept amid violent fits and starts; horrific images of Ashley on top of her made her cry out where she lay, fearful that her daughter would return and punish her some more. At one point, she woke to a strange feeling of pain and liquid warmth between her legs and the terror that filled her transformed into sorrow and shame when she realized she had wet the bed, her beaten body and full straining bladder betraying her. She wept until exhaustion again overtook her and she returned to cruel, fitful slumber. Hours passed until the rising sun illuminated the curtained window and began marking the passage of day. As Helen began to succumb to the effects of dehydration, her mind disassociated itself from her pain-wracked body and she floated until she felt the warm

 

_back of the petite form fit so snugly against her front and her eyes had closed in rapture at the perfection of symmetry between horse and riders._

_She buried her nose in the soft highlighted hair and inhaled, clasping the small form even closer. Safe in the cover of darkness and seclusion of the farm, they rode at an easy cantor, and she reveled in how their bodies rocked together as the horse galloped over the quiet English countryside._

_When they slowed to a walk, Janet turned in her arms, “Happy?”_

_Helen hung her head, shaking it sadly from side to side, “It hurts…” she said, crying softly._

_Janet cupped her face in soft hands and lifted it to hers, “Please don’t leave me, baby,” she whispered into the softness of Helen’s cheek, “please don’t give up.”_

 

She blearily opened her eyes and regarded the darkening room uncomprehendingly, _“Janet?”_ she whispered fearfully, her lips trembling uncontrollably, _“Janet…”_ she breathed, her voice full of pain as her eyes drifted closed.

 

***

 

Aeryn set the prototype Apache Longbow helicopter down in a very small field one hundred yards from the exact coordinates Tesla sent them in his cryptic message and cut the engine, although she left it on a quick start mode and checked the remote on her wrist that allowed her to electrify the outer hull against intruders. One of her contacts in the aerospace industry arranged to have the secret aircraft flown to a private airstrip at the Cartagena airport, where only military, the very rich and likely organized crime figures landed their planes. She tried to meet Janet’s requirement for a multi-passenger helo and had it hastily equipped with as much emergency medical supplies as the weight limit would allow, given Henry, Bigfoot and Will were accompanying her and Janet and she additionally had to calculate for Helen and possibly Nikola and Ashley’s weight. But she insisted on a full complement of Hellfire Missiles and armor-piercing weapons, knowing she could rely on Henry to be her gunner if Janet was busy attending to any injuries during what was sure to be a hasty departure. 

 

Once she cleared the rim of the valley, she powered down the loud rotors, transitioning the engine into the quieter Whisper Mode in an effort to make their entry as unnoticed as possible. But stepping down the rotor blades meant loss in lift and once they entered the valley Aeryn used the reduction in power to her advantage and flew the helo like a glider, bringing them smoothly and quietly to their destination.

 

All were outfitted for battle; wearing Kevlar and armed to the teeth when Janet opened the door and gave the signal for deployment. The team of five quickly exited the helo and headed for the trees in a classic military, Hit the Ground Running maneuver, easily recognized by Nikola as he watched, sauntering from beneath the trees,

 

“It’s about time…” he harrumphed, placing his hands on his hips, “Uh,” he held up his hand to Janet as she approached, “where’s Helen?”

 

Will trotted alongside her and came to a breathless stop in front of the scientist/ex-vampire, “Ashley teleported in yesterday and tased her before teleporting back out.”

 

“She took her...” Janet added and walked past him, leading the team into the protection of the trees, “so they had better both be here,” she turned to him with barely concealed rage, “or so help me, Nikola, _I will kill you myself_.”

 

“And she can do that,” Henry added as he walked past Tesla, looking dusty and dumbstruck, “now that you’re just an overly magnetized mortal.”

 

Tesla opened his mouth as if to speak then shut it abruptly again, “I’m… I’m sorry, Janet….” he said quietly as he hurried after her, his tone suddenly, genuinely apologetic. “I didn’t know, I honestly expected Helen to be with you.”

 

“These mountains are Swiss cheese,” Henry muttered, consulting his tablet, “the signal you sent was from like, another fifty meters down.”

 

Bigfoot caught up with Tesla and grabbed him by the shirtfront, nearly lifting him off the ground, _“Why are you here?”_

 

“Yeah,” Will’s nostrils flared in distaste, “I can’t wait to hear this one.”

 

Nikola moistened his lips again, “Ah, yes,” a small defiant smile quirking his lips, “Shall we?” he gestured grandly, “Since we’re in a hurry…” He yanked his shirt free and smoothed the wrinkled fabric as he led the way through a path in the trees, “It turns out the caves here have the largest known deposits of iron known in the western hemisphere.” They followed him in silence and he continued, “To you it means nothing, to me; manna from heaven.” The rough path ended at a cave opening and Nikola walked inside, Janet and the group following.

 

Janet sighed and rotated her neck, making it pop, “Your magnetic powers...”

 

“Here it comes,” Will sighed, rolling his eyes as he dug in his backpack to retrieve a headlamp.

 

“Come on,” Nikola picked up the flashlight he left on a stone shelf, “I’m just looking for a way back on top…. I mean, being a living magnet?” he folded his arms agitatedly across his chest while the group readied flashlights and headlamps, Aeryn and Bigfoot choosing to activate small light attachments on the end of their assault rifles. “It’s not exactly on par with being heir to the greatest race in all of history. It even has a few drawbacks like; if you’re not careful, your razor gets stuck to your face, so…” he gestured helplessly, “I was just looking for a way to turn this pointless ability into something extraordinary.”

 

Will sighed, “So you went after the most powerful natural magnetic substance in the world.”

 

“You’re damn right I did.” Tesla jabbed a finger at him.

 

“It makes sense,” Henry shrugged, “in an evil way.”

 

“Oh please,” Tesla shot them both a withering look, “can we stop with the value judgments?”

 

Her patience gone, Janet suddenly shoved him against the stone wall and rammed the end of her semi-automatic under his chin, “If I don’t hear the words Helen and Ashley come out of your mouth in the next three seconds I will blow your head _off_.”

 

Her glaring eyes silenced him and it took him a moment to gather himself.

 

Aeryn rested the butt of her weapon on her hip, striking a casual pose, “She means it, you know.” she said quietly.

 

“I-I-I found them while I was exploring the caves,” he said in a muted voice, “the Cabal, or what’s left of it... I never saw more than ten or twelve of them… altogether. There seems to be a sweet, albeit oddly wired, older woman, who appears to be in charge of what looks like a biochemical lab…”

 

 _“Ashley…”_ Janet shoved with the end of her barrel, her voice deadly.

 

“I saw her,” Tesla hurried, “she _was_ here, I don’t know what her mission is, but when she left, that’s when I sent my message to Helen…” he licked his suddenly dry lips, “I swear.”

 

“Alright…” Janet stepped back and gestured with the gun, “let’s go.”

 

***

 

“Wow… _eighteen hours_ , can you believe it?” Still naked, Ashley suddenly entered the room and snatched a key ring from the bureau, “I really crashed.” She snorted, “You really know how to fuck a woman into submission….” Helen lay limply while Ashley snickered and unlocked the manacles around her wrists and ankles, “Get up…” she ordered, “it’s getting dark and this place has no electricity.” Helen weakly rolled onto her side and shakily pushed herself from the ruined bed. Impatient, Ashley pulled her from the bed by her arm then shoved her from the child’s bedroom and into a small rustic living room. Helen gasped in pain and barely keeping her feet, lurched shakily toward an open door that led outside. “I never figured out how to get the power going from the solar panels on the roof,” Ashley muttered, mostly to herself, “and _evidently_ the indoor plumbing doesn’t work without it so yer gonna’ have to cop a squat out here.”

 

Helen wobbled through the door and squinted against the light from the setting sun. She stumbled down two wooden steps and staggered onto cool green grass in her bare feet. “Okay…” holding Helen by the back of her hair, Ashley kicked at the back of her knee, making her cry out and forcing her to kneel on the grass, the hold on her hair holding her upright. “If your bladder’s full, empty it now cuz’ there won’t be time later.” She released her and stepped back, “Guess I shoulda’ made them turn on the juice before I wasted ‘em…” she snorted, shaking her head as she turned to regard the SUV parked next to the cabin, and the bodies of the dead family of four  slumped inside.

 

Shaking, Helen forced herself from her knees and into a squatting position on the grass; balanced on her feet and leaning a hand in front of her, she braced herself for the pain and her body did not disappoint. When the hot urine spilled from between her legs she bit her lips together against the burning searing pain deep in her abdomen and her torn openings and deep racking sobs broke from her.

 

Ashley snorted, “Sore huh?” she sighed and watched the small amount of urine stream from between her mother’s legs and onto the grass. She licked her lips, “I am a _great fuck.”_ She cocked her head to one side as she openly admired the blood smeared on Helen’s backside and between her legs and the vivid bruises and bloody welts on her shaking naked body. _“Look at that….”_ She breathed, feeling aroused again. Her hand strayed between her legs, and the tip of her middle finger slipped between the outer folds and fondled her already throbbing clitoris.

 

When Helen finished emptying her bladder, she wanted to weep in relief but she swallowed against the pain and gathered what remained of her strength in order to stand.

 

“Oh no, mother…” Ashley murmured in a sultry voice, _“crawl to me.”_ She stepped forward, still openly rubbing between her folds, “Crawl to me… right over _here_.” she said, pointing at her blond pubic mound for emphasis.

 

A deep sob broke from Helen but she complied, crawling over the cool verdant grass on her hands and knees. “That’s it…” Ashley cooed and petting her mother’s hair, slid her hand through the disheveled dark locks to the base of Helen’s skull and pulled her between her legs. Her free hand held her outer labia open and she draped them over Helen’s nose and mouth. “Eat me now…” she commanded quietly.

 

Helen obeyed, keeping her eyes closed she extended her tongue into the folds and licked and laved while her daughter absently petted her hair. “Oh yeah, suck it…,” she breathed, “Lick it suck it, fuck it.” she hummed and sighed as she alternately admired the panoramic countryside and her mother’s bloodied, kneeling form, “Eat my pussy… mother.” Occasionally Ashley’s hand would grip the dark locks and pull her more firmly against her center and Helen’s mind dulled, detached, and the odd floating sensation returned as her psyche sought safe harbor in oblivious mechanical function.

 

“I just love the Swiss Alps,” Ashley sighed, “don’t you?”

 

After a few minutes passed, she released her mother’s head and walked back to the cabin. Helen slumped where she knelt on the grass and looked at the surrounding countryside in confusion, _The Alps…_ she thought dazedly, _The Swiss Alps…._ There were no other cabins dotting the surrounding verdant pastures, only patches of trees… and the dirt road track that led to the cabin disappeared over the rise…. There was no escape for her, nowhere she could run. _At least twenty-four hours have passed since I’ve had anything to drink… s_ he mused silently, pondering the lethal consequences of prolonged dehydration over even one day and night; _Fever, rapid heart rate…_ she silently considered her symptoms, _decreased urine output and tear production… delirium is next,_ _so I haven’t long to live now._ Her eyes closed, _Oh Janet…_ her face twisted into an agonized mask and a broken sound escaped her, _Janet I am so sorry._

 

“Here ya’ go…” Ashley suddenly yanked her head back and placed the tip of a water bottle against her lips. Helen kept her eyes closed, concentrating on drinking the cool water and not choking. But her daughter was impatient and poured the water too fast, making Helen sputter and turn her face away, _“Come on…”_ she muttered, anger coloring her tone, “I haven’t got all day.”

 

She tried to make Helen take the bottle but she was too weak to hold it and after only giving her a few ounces, tossed it from her, “That’s it…” Pulling her by the hair, she dragged Helen to her feet, “We gotta go…” Helen noted distantly that Ashley had put her clothes back on when she abruptly collapsed on the steps of the cabin and found herself looking dumbly at her black jeans and white shirt that lay on the step next to her. “Okay...” Ashley picked up the jeans and put them on her mother’s feet, “I guess you’re not gonna’ be able to do this yourself so...” she pulled them up her legs then grabbed the shirt and stuffed Helen’s arms into it, making her cry out in pain. She pulled the front of the white shirt closed and hurriedly buttoned the wrinkled fabric, _“Humph,”_ she snorted in wry amusement, “never thought I’d have to help dress _you...”_ She snickered, “the _Mighty Helen Magnus.”_ She hauled Helen to her feet, “Hold the rail, “she instructed and pulled the black jeans up and over Helen’s hips, buttoning the waist and tugging up the zipper. The black boots Ashley wore had three-inch heels, and in her bare feet, Helen’s faded blue eyes were level with Ashley’s bright orange.

 

 _“Ashley?”_ she croaked in a pained, raspy whisper.

 

Ashley sighed, “Yes, mom?”

 

Helen licked dry cracked lips, _“Why?”_

 

A soft smile tugged at Ashley’s lips, “I’m to get your memories before I kill you.” She smiled sweetly, “And I wanted to spend some quality time with you first.” She cocked her head to one side, regarding her for a long moment, then abruptly teleported them away.

 

***

 

“How much farther?”  Janet asked, not sure she was asking Henry or Tesla.

 

“Five minutes.” Nikola said quietly, “We’ll come in on the high side of a large cavern; the lab is in the middle but we’ll be close and about five feet above them when we come in.”

 

“So we’ll have the advantage…” Henry muttered.

 

“Alright,” Janet muttered, thinking, “Henry, Will and I will switch to stunners and use them on those closest to Helen. You, my friend,” she nodded to Bigfoot, “and Aeryn stay with what you have and work on the targets furthest from her.”

 

~

 

She smiled at the man when she walked past but she was getting nervous; she had no natural leadership skills and the men had only stayed with her and Ashley out of fear, _and because I told them our new employer would take care of us..._ she thought ruefully. They received the message that Ashley had succeeded in obtaining Magnus the day before, _So where is she?_ She turned back to her worktable and fidgeted with the instruments; she understood the need for secrecy but they were running low on food and other vital supplies and she feared the ragtag dozen security members of the now defunct Cabal would turn on her if Ashley didn’t return soon. _Everything depends on you, my girl…._ She recognized the audible whoosh that Ashley made whenever she teleported and the doctor turned to the sound, the bright smile on her face faltering when she laid eyes on Helen Magnus.

 

Doctor Helen Magnus was barefoot, her clothes looked disheveled and her bruised face was covered in dried blood, evidence of a beating. Ashley gripped the swaying woman by the upper arm and greeted her, “Hey!” she flashed a bright smile, “Didja’ miss me?” She shoved Helen against a tall wooden crate, “Sorry I took so long.” She held her one-handed against the crate as she pulled a long stiletto from her boot, “I wanted to spend time with her before,” she shrugged, “you know…” she smiled and slammed the blade through Helen’s right shoulder, pining her to the wooden surface and making her scream. The men in the cavern froze, watching the brutality in silent fear. This young woman was known for her immense strength and cruelty and they watched, terrified.

 

Ashley stepped back and lifting her other heel off the ground withdrew another stiletto from her boot without looking, “Just one more minute here…” she said conversationally as she raised Helen’s left hand, shoulder height and pressing the back of her wrist against the rough wood, slammed the stiletto through her palm and into the wooden crate behind. Helen screamed again in agony, her quaking body fighting to stay on her feet and keep her weight off the blades pinning her against the immovable wooden crate. “There.” Ashley stepped back, admiring her handiwork with her head cocked to one side and her hands parked on her hips. “That’ll keep her upright and in one place…” she turned to the older woman and grinned, “for now.”

 

The doctor struggled to twist her trembling lips into a smile and froze it into place, “Yes,” she agreed, “that’ll do for now.” She gestured behind her, “I’ll just get ready so we can begin…”

 

“Okay!” Ashley said brightly and turned back to Helen, “So,” she smirked, “enjoying that impaled and crucified feeling?”

 

 _“Ash…”_ Helen groaned in pain, _“Oh, Ashley…”_

 

 _“Mom,”_ Ashley mimicked her, _“Oh mom…”_ she pressed close, “What?”

 

_“P-p-please…”_

 

 _“Oh puh-p-p-please…”_ Ashley taunted then shook her head dismissively, “ _You made me,_ mother,” she hissed, tracing Helen’s jawline with the back of her finger, “My love for the hunt… _hunting your cunt_ …” she smiled ferally, “My love for the kill, although I think my talent for knives came from _dear old dad_.”

 

 _“Ashley,”_ Helen rasped, _“please… I… I…”_

 

“I know you aren’t old enough to have actually known any ancient Romans…” Ashley reached in a thigh pocket on her cargo pants and withdrew a four-inch switchblade stiletto. She activated it, making the long double-sided blade dart out like a snake’s tongue, “But you’re an extremely well educated woman,” her lips curled as she pressed close, drawing the tip of the blade along Helen’s jawline, “I’ll bet you’re familiar with the Death By A Thousand Cuts version of execution…”

 

Ashley was making the doctor nervous and she hurried with her instruments, “My dear,” she called to her somewhat tremulously, “please wait till I…”

 

“Oh, don’t worry;” she assured her, her bright orange eyes still gazing fixedly into Helen’s, “I can wait…” She suddenly cocked her head to one side, “Know why I think _dad_ loved knives… _mom_? The thing is...” she purred, drawing the tip of the blade down Helen’s neck and between her breasts as she spoke, “All these little cuts… all the little nerves… show me who you are…. That’s what he really wanted….” She dragged the flat of the blade down over the rumpled white shirt, “He wanted to know you…” Her voice dropped and the orange eyes turned dark and became half-lidded, _“Show me who you are, mom…”_ she whispered, _“show me who you really are… and I will show you who I am.”_ She took half a step back and plunged the knife into Helen’s thigh. Helen screamed raggedly and the doctor dropped the prepared syringes where they clattered on the floor. Ashley laughed manically and twisted the blade just as the room erupted in gunfire and Helen’s screams.

 

Having quickly assessed the layout, Janet had Aeryn and Bigfoot enter the cavern first, fanning out left and right as they scrambled down the rocky shelf, shooting as they flooded into the stone cavern. It was chaos as she and Will and Henry followed with stunners, stunning everything that moved. Janet aimed at her daughter and fired. Briefly enveloped in the blue glow of her stunner, Ashley’s image shimmered and fluxed and as Janet prepared to fire again Ashley’s image was suddenly replaced by a figure of a young brown-haired woman, who shrugged off the effects and locked black eyes with Janet. Reaching behind her, she yanked the blade from Helen’s thigh, making her moan weakly and sag against the blades pinning her. The young woman smiled in feral satisfaction, _“Mom…”_ she greeted her and quickly teleported, only to reappear next to the stunned doctor who lay on the floor some feet away and touching her, abruptly teleported again, both disappearing amid the gunfire.

 

Janet, Will and Henry ran to Helen and held her slumped form upright, “Oh my god,” Henry breathed, “what do we do?”

 

“We have to get her down,” Janet spoke quickly as she shrugged out of her backpack, “Hold the blade and her and pull both knives at the same time.” Focused on stopping the bleeding in Helen’s thigh, she quickly yanked free some tubing and tied it as a quick tourniquet just over the bleeding wound.

 

“Like this?” Will asked, holding the knife handle in one hand and the wrist of Helen’s impaled hand with the other.

 

 _“WAIT!”_ Tesla held up his hands, “ _Wait!_ I can magnetically pull the knives, remember?” He turned to Janet, “I need to know if I’m pulling them from just the wood or Helen too.”

 

Janet licked her lips, “Helen too… pull them all the way,” she turned, “But we’ll need help…”

 

Will turned to observe Bigfoot and Aeryn as the only two persons standing amid the fallen Cabal forces, “Big Guy!” he shouted, “Over here!”

 

Bigfoot grunted in response and quickly crossed the room while Janet handed thick stacks of gauze pads and rolls of elastic bandages to Will and Henry. “Alright,” she spoke quickly, “I need you,” she nodded to Bigfoot, “to hold onto her and when Nikola pulls out the blades lay her down. Will; grab her hand, pack both sides and wrap it and Henry, you and I will do the same to her shoulder, alright?”

 

Bigfoot grunted and Tesla held both hands palm out towards the knives and closing his eyes briefly, concentrated on focusing his magnetic energy at the blades and when he jerked back, the knives yanked from the wood and Helen’s hand and shoulder and he caught them by the handles in midair.

 

A low moan issued from Helen’s throat and as her knees buckled, Bigfoot grabbed hold under her arms and lowered her gently onto the stone floor and Will flew into action, grabbing the bleeding hand while Henry clutched the front and back of Helen’s bleeding shoulder with gauze.

 

“Good, Henry,” Janet murmured and pulled gently at the stack of gauze he pressed against the front of the through and through wound, “let me see this…” She peered closely at the gaping hole before pressing his hand with the gauze back over it, “The brachial artery seems intact…” she added, “Thank god.” and began wrapping the shoulder as tightly as she could. “How are you doing over there, Will?”

 

Will held the gauze pads on either side of Helen’s hand while Tesla wrapped an elastic bandage around it, “Almost done, the bleeding isn’t too bad.”

 

“Okay…” Janet nodded, “Helen?” She finally smoothed her hand over Helen’s forehead but Helen had lost consciousness. “She’s out.”

 

“That’s probably for the best.” Nikola muttered.

 

Janet checked the faint rapid pulse in her carotid, “She’s…” _very weak.._. she finished silently, unable to say the words aloud, “Will, start an IV line, push ringers and dextrose for now.” She turned, “Henry, I need you to clean every hard drive from this place, anything you can find, take it.” She continued as her fingers flew through the medical supplies in her backpack. “My friend,” she addressed Bigfoot, “we’ll need a stretcher to carry her out.”

 

***

 

The day had progressed uneventfully for Kate and Kathleen; Kate had busied herself by helping Chuck with seeing to the needs of the sanctuary residents and keeping a close watch on the sanctuary’s security. Kathleen mostly busied herself with settling in the newly discovered species of sand dollars and kept her radio close and turned up high, knowing Kate would call the second she heard from Janet and the team.

 

It was late when the call finally came. Chuck had bid both women goodnight and gone to bed exhausted and Kate and Kathleen sat in the vast kitchen, each unwilling to retire for the night.

 

“So…” Kate set her bottle of light beer on the table, “you look like sanctuary life agrees with you.”

 

Kathleen smiled and took her empty tea mug to the sink, “Yes, well… the work _is_ fascinating plus…” she grinned as she rinsed out the mug, “Aeryn’s there… and that’s an even bigger plus.”

 

Kate grinned, “Yeah, I noticed.”

 

“That obvious are we?” Kathleen blushed.

 

“It’s…” Kate’s tablet buzzed and she activated the screen; “Hey…” she called to Aeryn’s image.

 

 _“Greetings...”_ Digitized static distorted her image but it was clear Aeryn was seated and flying an aircraft, _“We are airborne out of Cartagena, I’d have called earlier but we’ve been rather occupied.”_

 

Kathleen stood behind Kate and peered over her shoulder, “You look in one piece.” she said, clearly relieved, “What’s your standing?”

 

_“Everyone on the team is fine…. We retrieved Helen and Nikola… Nikola’s fine, but Helen is in pretty serious condition.”_

 

“Ashley?” Kate asked.

 

Aeryn shook her head _, “Apparently Ashley was a chameleon, or shape-shifter that looked like Ashley. Don’t know which, but in any event she escaped, she grabbed a woman we think was a scientist in a lab the Cabal had going there and teleported out.”_

 

“My God…” Kathleen muttered.

 

 _“You’d better get some sleep if you can…”_ Aeryn sighed, _“I have a clear flight path here so I’m going to fly this bird as fast as she’s comfortable with and I hope to be landing in another seven hours. Janet says she’s done as much surgery as she dares, she’ll need to take Helen in again when we get home so make sure the surgical suite is ready.”_

 

“Tell her it is…” Kathleen said, adding, “I made sure this afternoon.”

 

 _“Very good...”_ Aeryn’s voice cut in and out _, “I’ll call again before I begin my approach.”_

 

“Okay,” Kate sighed, “safe flight.” She severed the connection and the screen on her tablet turned black. “Jesus,” she muttered, “what the fuck happened down there?”

 

~

 

Bigfoot, Henry and Nikola managed to sleep for at least part of the plane ride home, so they looked considerably better than the rest of the team as they approached the surgical suite.

 

Kathleen finally kissed Aeryn hello, “Welcome home, all of you,” she looked at Janet, “I can assist if you like.”

 

“I do.” Janet nodded and pulled Helen’s gurney through the doors.

 

“I’ll run anesthesia.” Bigfoot rasped as he pushed the gurney from the rear and Will followed,

 

“I’ll help with prep.”

 

Tesla parked his hands on his hips, “Well, I could use a drink.” Aeryn and Henry exchanged looks before turning in unison and headed back to the elevator. “What?” He followed, “I’m not allowed to be tired too?” They ignored him and he came to a slow stop, _“Fine,”_ he muttered, “I’ll find the Bordeaux by myself.”

 

~

 

The helicopter ride to Cartagena had been smooth enough for Janet to suture the biggest bleeders in Helen’s thigh and shoulder and she took advantage of her unconscious state to keep working on surgically repairing the internal injuries once they boarded the plane and were in flight. Back in the sanctuary surgical suite, Janet painstakingly rechecked her work while Bigfoot placed Helen under a light anesthesia and monitored her closely, waiting until Janet was ready. Kathleen and Will carefully cut away the shredded jeans and shirt Helen still wore and when they carefully rolled her partially onto her left side in order to remove the material Will’s eyes widened in shock,

 

 _“Oh my god…”_ he breathed. His hand faltered on the rumpled white cotton material, “Janet…”

 

Janet had only cut open the shirt far enough to work on the wound in Helen’s shoulder during the flight and she froze when she saw the ruin of Helen’s back and slammed her professional demeanor down over her emotions. “Alright, Will…”

 

 _“Janet.”_ Kathleen’s hushed voice cut her off as she carefully pulled away the black denim material.

 

Janet felt the edges of her vision darken and her heart thudded dully in her chest when she saw the dried blood splatter and dark bruising between Helen’s legs. “Thank you Kathleen,” she heard herself say distantly, “Will, you can go now and my friend and I will finish up here.”

 

Will’s eyes widened in disbelief, “What?” He stammered, “L-look, she…”

 

 _“_ Go _now,”_ Janet’s blazing eyes bored into him, “I have no intention of letting anyone see her like this.”

 

Bigfoot rose slowly, threateningly, from the stool he sat on and Kathleen gripped Will by his upper arm, “I’m sorry, Janet,” she murmured sympathetically, “of course, we’ll be outside if you need us.”

 

~

 

The group sat silently in Helen and Janet’s office, the mood subdued. Even Tesla sat quietly, drinking the bottle of wine he found in the cellar and privately bemoaning that he could no longer drink with impunity as he had in his vampire days. Henry had downloaded the hard drives he stripped from the workstations in the Cabal lab into his tablet and was working quietly and when Janet entered the room, everyone looked at her anxiously.

 

“She’s in recovery and we’ll be moving her to our bedroom in another hour or so….” Everyone silently regarded her and she wondered briefly if Kathleen or Will told them what they saw. “Given the… the injuries she s-sustained…” she stammered, “her recovery is going to take some time…” she finished somewhat lamely. “Henry,” she folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the desk, sitting on the edge, “what have you found so far on the Cabal hard drives?”

 

“Oh, _doc_ ,” he shook his head in amazement and scooted forward on the cushioned chair until he sat on the edge of his seat, “there’s _tons_ of stuff; that woman… who looked like Ashley? She was a chameleon and the doctor she teleported out with was using Source Blood and Ashley’s DNA to eventually, _permanently_ transform her…” He consulted his tablet, “I guess her name was originally Caroline, into an Ashley clone… uh, of sorts.”

 

Will nodded, “Yeah,” he said turning to Tesla, his voice dripping with sarcasm, “but _you just happened_ to be there looking for the largest iron ore deposit in the _whole_ world….”

 

“You knew that lab was down there all along,” Janet’s quiet voice sounded deadly, “and it would be an easy bet that you knew it was the Cabal and that they had Source Blood.” Her dark eyes bored holes into Tesla’s soul.

 

Nikola looked distinctly uncomfortable and Will snorted, “I’m not the kind of guy who says _‘I told you so’_ …”

 

 _“Fine…”_ Nikola held up a hand to stop him, “I did spend some time tracking down members of the Cabal after…” Nikola’s voice faded as the tension in the room grew noticeably thicker at the reference to Ashley’s death and he looked apologetically at Janet, “after events.”

 

Aeryn’s brows crept high on her forehead, “ _You_ killed Dana Whitcomb?”

 

“No,” Tesla shook his head, “ _that_ wasn’t me.” He raised the wineglass to his lips but only breathed in the aroma from the warm claret, “That throat slashing had Johnny’s signature written all over it…”

 

“John Druitt?” Kathleen sounded surprised.

 

“Mmm,” Nikola nodded, “and along the way I found some information that led me…” He looked annoyed, remembering what felt like countless dead ends before finally following a solid lead to the Colombian Andes, “ _eventually_ … to that lab.”

 

“ _Not_ seeking Cabal members to avenge,” Aeryn’s voice was low, “but pursuing Source Blood…”

 

“For yourself.” Will finished.

 

“I wanted my life back!” Tesla snapped at him and stood, “Look at me, Janet!” He spun to face her, “I’ve been reduced to parlor tricks and Morse code… What am I now; human with benefits?” He gestured helplessly, “It’s pathetic!”

 

“Yeah,” Henry muttered quietly, “Cuz’ it’s all about _you_...” He looked up from his tablet, “Isn’t it?”

 

“I swear to you, Janet,” Nikola sounded desperate; “once I got there and saw Ashley I sent my message to you… that is the truth.”

 

Janet exhaled and stepped around the desk to look out the dark window and the dimly illuminated city skyline, “And the Source Blood?” she asked, sounding defeated.

 

“There was surprisingly little to take,” Aeryn shrugged, “in the way of test tubes and slides and the like…” Henry nodded in agreement as she spoke, “But we did take everything we could find.”

 

“I had a look at the vials and cultures in the inventory of what you came back with,” Kathleen rose, the group looked exhausted, Janet in particular, “they do contain Source Blood, but greatly diluted. It’s possible they wanted to tap the Source Blood _in_ Helen…”

 

“Oh yeah,” Henry interrupted her, “from what I’ve read that doctor had used most of the Source Blood on Ashley to transform her into that,” he stopped abruptly and cleared his throat as a wave of fresh grief swept over him, “uh… super-abnormal.” His lips and chin trembled and he shook his head, as if to clear it, “So… she, the doctor, only had dilutions of Source Blood and Ashley’s DNA to work with for the clone… I mean, chameleon.” He moistened his lips and took a deep breath, “The plan was to mine as much of the Source Blood from Magnus that they could after using this thing on her.” He tapped commands into his tablet as he spoke and turned it to face the group.

 

Janet drew a shaky breath and left her place by the window, her expression bemused as she squinted at the image.

 

“It looks like a silver tick.” Will muttered.

 

“ _Yeah_ ,” Henry nodded, “right? That’s what I thought; a silver tick.”

 

Aeryn shot him a look, “That’s a lot bigger than a tick...” she said dryly, privately noting the palm-sized device.

 

Kathleen crossed her arms and leaned to peer closely at the screen, “And you brought it back with you…” she said flatly.

 

“We did?” Henry sounded surprised.

 

Aeryn nodded, “I grabbed that.”

 

Henry quickly tapped some more commands into his tablet, “Oh yeah…” he expanded the image of a rounded metallic disc on the screen, “it looks different with all the creepy bug legs folded into it.”

 

Aeryn shrugged at Kathleen, “There was room in his backpack so I tossed it in.”

 

“Henry,” Janet dropped a tired hand on his shoulder, “have a look at it, but tomorrow.”

 

“Yes,” Kathleen stepped forward, “you are all beyond exhausted, off to bed with all of you. The sanctuary is locked up safe and sound and it’s time you all got some rest.”

 

“She’s right,” Aeryn nodded, “we can tackle it all again in the morning.”

 

As the room slowly cleared Kathleen pulled Aeryn in for a quick kiss murmuring, “You go ahead, I’ll help get Helen settled.”

 

~

 

Bigfoot insisted on staying close by and spent the night on the gurney he brought Helen up in from the infirmary floor. He lay on it in Helen and Janet’s connecting office, his large feet dangling over the end. Kathleen had helped Janet and Bigfoot settle Helen in bed, the three of them positioning her slightly on her side on carefully placed pillows, angled to keep as much pressure off her back and shoulder as possible. They kept her on a drip for fluids and pain medication, a Foley catheter and nasal cannula and Janet kept the lights in the room low when she finally crawled into bed next to her.

 

 _“You’re home, Helen... you’re safe now.”_ she whispered, tucking a few stray strands of dark disheveled locks behind a beautifully sculpted ear. She gazed at the battered features, still beautiful in the dim light. “You know,” she said, her voice wavering, “we’ll need to wash your hair when you’re feeling better...” A sob erupted, sputtering from her trembling lips and she clamped her hands over her mouth and eyes, smothering the racking sobs that tore from her soul. Minutes passed as she finally allowed the sorrow, pain and fear to purge after being restrained so long. Her pillow was soaked with her tears when she finally rolled onto her back and keeping both hands over her eyes, slowed her breathing until she was able to draw a deep, calming breath. She sniffed and wiped the tears from her face and when she turned to look at Helen, she froze.

 

Helen’s eyes, clouded with pain numbing medication, were open, watching her, _“Janugh?”_ she mumbled softly, barely audible.

 

“Helen…” Janet sniffed and smiled tremulously, “I’m sorry I woke you, baby.” She rolled onto her side and carefully stroked the bruised cheek. _“How are you feeling?”_ she whispered, “Are you in pain?”

 

Helen’s lips barely moved when she asked, _“Where am I?”_

 

“You’re home, my love…” Tears spilled from the corners of Janet’s eyes again and she swiped them away, “We found you and brought you home.”

 

Pain suddenly etched deep lines around Helen’s eyes, _“Ashley!”_ she rasped, fear threading her desperate whisper, _“Ashley…”_

 

“ _She wasn’t_ Ashley, Helen…” Janet hurried, “She escaped… but we’re safe here in the sanctuary… we’re home.” Quickly stroking the fevered cheek in an attempt to soothe, she waited for understanding to cross Helen’s features but she only look confused, “The Cabal made a chameleon _look_ like Ashley, my love….” She smoothed the hand over Helen’s cheek again, _“You hear me?”_ Tears brimmed in Helen’s eyes. “She _looked_ like Ashley, _but it wasn’t her_ , Helen...” Janet sniffed, “It wasn’t our daughter, my love… _it wasn’t Ashley.”_

 

A soft keening sound issued from Helen’s throat, her face crumpled and her hands groped blindly for Janet.

 

 _“It’s true…”_ Janet wept, gently pressing the hands over her heart, _“It’s true, baby… she wasn’t our girl….”_

 

Helen wailed softly and Janet cradled her as gently as she could, mindful of the devastating injuries that covered her body. After only a few minutes Helen appeared to drift into an uneasy slumber and Janet petted the long tresses, _“It’s alright now…”_ she whispered thickly, _“we’re gonna take this one step at a time.”_

 

~

 

Light from the sunrise peered through the curtains when Aeryn awoke and she smiled when she saw Kathleen was awake, watching her, “Good morning…” she greeted quietly, her smile fading when she noted the intensity of Kathleen’s gaze, “Are you alright?”

 

Kathleen wanted desperately to discuss the injuries Helen sustained in what could only be interpreted as vicious rapes but she knew she had to honor Janet’s wish for privacy and instead rolled on top of Aeryn and kissed her deeply, “I was worried.” she said simply.

 

Aeryn returned the fervent embrace and when their lips parted, she murmured, “With the exception of Helen we all returned intact.”

 

Kathleen nodded, closing her eyes against the vision of Helen Magnus’ devastating wounds. “I wanted to let you rest last night,” she sighed and settled her weight on the muscular form beneath, “but I’d really like to make love now.”

 

Without a word, Aeryn pulled her down for another kiss, and as their tongues lapped and fed in each other’s mouths Kathleen straddled a lean thigh and ground her already burning flooded center on the smooth skin, groaning in Aeryn’s mouth as her hips undulated in increasing tempo.

 

Aeryn arched into her, letting Kathleen take what she needed and smiled when she felt her climax, _“That’s my Kath…”_ she murmured soothingly when Kathleen tore her mouth away and shuddered violently in release, _“come on me, darling… come on me…”_

 

Kathleen grunted and whimpered as her body trembled rigidly in orgasm and hot cum bathed Aeryn’s thigh, burning creamy cum and searing hot clear ejaculate ran down the sides of Aeryn’s straining thigh and soaked the sheet beneath.

 

Long minutes passed and Aeryn murmured soft words of love while Kathleen sobbed quietly in the aftermath, _“Shh…”_ she soothed, _“it’s alright now, we all made it back….”_

 

Kathleen drew a deep breath and sniffed, wiping her face on the pillow, “I know,” she nodded and sniffed again, “I know…” she swallowed and cleared her throat, “I was just very worried.” She rolled onto her back on her side of the bed and pulled Aeryn on top of her, “Make love to me.”

 

Aeryn grinned and placed another kiss in her mouth, “Yes, my lady...” she snickered and placed a soft kiss on Kathleen’s lips. Straddling the strong thigh between her own she gripped a full breast and massaged it while she undulated, spreading a thick coating of creamy cum on soft skin. She stayed up on one elbow and gazed into eyes as widely dilated as her own, _“Do you want me to pinch and twist your nipple while I fuck you?”_ she asked breathily, _“or do you want my fingers inside you?”_

 

Kathleen’s brows arched high on her forehead and a soft keening sound issued from deep in her throat when she raised a hand to caress Aeryn cheek, _“I want you to suck my nipple and finger fuck me.”_ she rasped in a low voice.

 

“Your wish, my lady,” Aeryn grinned and released the taut, distended flesh she gripped and gripped the denuded mound instead, “is my command.” Dipping her head, she sucked the hardened structure of Kathleen’s nipple in her mouth and slid two fingers between puffy folds and into a still steaming wealth of hot cum.  Kathleen arched on the mattress and groaned and Aeryn slurped and sucked the breast she held in her mouth, laving the puckered flesh with her tongue while she ground wildly on Kathleen’s leg. She was close to orgasm and she let it shake her without mercy as she thrust her fingers in clutching, silken depths; her eyes closed tight, she gasped and whimpered breathlessly as she came, hot squirts of ejaculate erupting from between her legs in tandem with the convulsions that shook her form.

 

Kathleen cried quietly, watching Aeryn come and her eyes slammed closed as Aeryn’s pumping fingers suddenly curled within, making her climax and her body stiffen, trembling rigidly as she came a second time, her hips surging into Aeryn from below as the climax washed over her in rushing waves. When she was able to open her eyes again, she looked up into a concerned shade of blue.

 

“Okay?” Aeryn asked softly.

 

“When you’re inside me?” she sniffed and flashed a lopsided smile, “Always.”

 

~

 

“Helen?”

 

_The voice sounded distant and it felt like she floated in a dark murky sea._

 

“Helen?” Janet called to her again and tried not to bite her lip anxiously, “Helen,” she said, her voice taking on a more commanding quality, “I need to you wake up, baby….”

 

Helen’s eyes fluttered open and she sighed heavily, as though she had been holding her breath, _“Janet…”_ she said in a low whisper, _“Janet?”_

 

“There you are.” Janet tried not to sigh in audible relief, “I’m sorry to wake you, but you’ve been asleep for a long time and I need you to wake up a little and eat some breakfast, alright?”

 

Helen swallowed, _“Thirsty…”_

 

“Of course you are…” Janet replied; sitting on the edge of their bed, she held a glass of water with a bent straw to her lips and watched while Helen sipped weakly at the cool water. She had let Helen sleep while she emptied the urinary drainage bag and checked the sutures in her vagina and rectum, grateful she only had to use her gloved fingers in Helen’s center and the short ten-centimeter anoscope in her anus to make sure no infections were forming in the fissures she had repaired. When Helen pushed the glass from her Janet placed it back on the nightstand and Helen grunted in pain as she took in her surroundings and the surrounding medical equipment.

 

“Easy now…” Janet scolded gently, “I repositioned you so you’re sitting up more than you were,” she gently smoothed the bangs from her forehead, “and more of your weight is on your back, so tell me if you’re too uncomfortable.”

 

“No…” Helen sighed, “I’m okay.”

 

“Okay…” Janet drew a deep breath, “Helen, look at me…” she commanded softly, piercing unfocused and pained blue eyes with clear brown, “our friend is getting you some hot tea…” she held the back of the bandaged hand against her heart, “and a light breakfast.” Helen looked as though she was about to protest and Janet’s tone became stern, “No arguments, Helen, you have to eat, if you’re nauseated, tell me.”

 

“I’m fine.” Helen murmured, sounding apologetic.

 

Janet snorted in tired amusement but found herself suddenly fighting back tears, “You have a fever... from the bite w-wound on your breast.” Helen’s eyes closed in shame and Janet fought to keep her lips and chin from trembling, “So there’s an antibiotic in your drip to combat the infection….” Her voice dropped to a whisper, “I know what was done to you, Helen…” she pressed fingertips against her lips in a futile attempt to stop the trembling, _“Only I have seen the… seen what was done to you….”_ Helen’s eyes slammed shut in pain and shame and Janet continued, “I know you were raped, Helen… vaginally and…” Tears began to stream from both their eyes, “a-a-and anally.” She could hardly force the words from her trembling lips, her voice breaking, “I sutured some of the fissures in your rectum and vagina…” her voice faded, overwhelmed by emotion and she swallowed, “I don’t know why they did this…” Her throat twisted closed in pain, _“I don’t know why this was done to you, but…”_

 

She got up to retrieve the tablet from the nightstand and powered it up. She sniffed and cleared her throat, “That woman who took you…” she sat next to Helen on the bed again and placed the tablet in front of her, “I don’t know where she… I don’t know where she took you…” Janet closed her eyes and licked her lips, collecting her thoughts and calming the flood of emotion that threatened to spill from her, “before she teleported into that lab with you. But that lab was in a stone cavern in the Colombian Andes…” She clicked open the icon for the video she asked Henry to upload and paused the playback, “There was a researcher who worked for the Cabal, and about a dozen cabal security forces there. When we found you and secured the place, Henry took everything he could find.” Helen looked more alert and Janet continued, “There’s no audio, but this is a video taken from one of their security cameras…” She expanded the image to full-screen, “this portion shows what happened when the Ashley-chameleon appeared with you.” Her hand hovered over the play button on the screen, “Okay?” Helen nodded and Janet drew a deep breath as she activated the video playback.

 

Both watched in silence as images of Ashley and Helen suddenly materialized in the middle of the Cabal laboratory and Janet blinked stubborn tears from her eyes as she watched, for the umpteenth time, as Ashley impaled Helen’s shoulder and hand to the enormous wooden crate behind her. Helen clasped Janet’s wrist, watching as Ashley turned to say something to the cabal doctor than stabbed Helen in the thigh and twisted the narrowed blade. A small cry of distress escaped Janet’s throat, _“Here...”_ she rasped thickly, she paused the video and shook her head.

 

 _“It’s alright…”_ Helen turned her head to look earnestly at her, “It’s alright…”

 

“No…” Janet sniffed, swiping at the stubborn tears that spilled from her eyes, “It isn’t.” She bent to place a trembling kiss on Helen’s forehead and sighed, “ _Oh god…_ I’m sorry…” She cleared her throat, “this next part is when we entered the lab from over here and all hell breaks loose …” she tapped the left side of the screen, “So you’ll see them reacting and turning their attention to this area as Aeryn and our friend entered first, but watch the Ashley-chameleon…” She activated the video again and Helen watched raptly as the blue glow of a stunner suddenly enveloped the image of their daughter. Her eyes widened in surprise as Ashley’s image shimmered and flexed and was replaced by a young woman with long brown hair.

 

“I shot her with a stunner and she lost the Ashley camouflage.” She briefly froze the image then tapped the play key again and they watched as the chameleon Caroline yanked the stiletto from Helen’s leg and teleported, reappearing just long enough to grab the shoulder of the unconscious cabal doctor and teleport away.

 

 _“Let me see it again.”_ Helen rasped hoarsely.

 

Janet replayed the video on a continual loop, knowing intuitively that Helen would need to see the video repeatedly before she would believe that the woman who abducted and tortured her was not their daughter. But Janet had spent the early morning obsessively reviewing the video while Helen slept and, feeling like she had seen the heart wrenching images more times than she could bear, she instead watched Helen’s bruised features. When she could clearly see the flickers of understanding in her eyes, she paused the video, “Do you understand now?” she asked quietly.

 

“Yes.” Helen nodded, “She was a chameleon… and not Ashley.”

 

“That’s right.” Janet sighed and closed the video on the tablet and turned on the bed, facing her, “Henry managed to take all of their hard drives and we believe we collected all of the Source Blood they had there, little as it was. Henry has managed to piece together what their mission was, and I can tell you what happened _here,_ starting when the Ashley chameleon tased you in the back parking lot and abducted you… three days ago.”

 

“Only three days?” Helen’s brows quirked on the scraped forehead, “feels like a lifetime.”

 

Janet nodded, pressing her lips together, “The truck with the sand dollars had arrived and we were waiting for our friend to bring the forklift around…”

 

“Yes,” Helen nodded, “I remember.”

 

Janet cued up another video and turned the tablet to her, “This is from _our_ security camera…” Helen watched, enrapt as an image of Ashley suddenly appeared behind her own image in the parking lot and she twitched in remembered pain, watching herself stiffen in electrified agony and the Ashley chameleon say something to Janet before disappearing. “Do you remember that?” Janet asked, waiting for Helen to nod before closing the video program. “It wasn’t until the next morning when Stan was in the catacombs and heard the Autotype clicking away…”  Helen quirked her brows tiredly and Janet sighed, shrugging, “Long story short; it was Nikola, sending you a message. In his pursuit of Source Blood, he found that lab in Colombia and sent you a message when he saw Ashley there.” Helen only looked at her with hollow eyes and Janet finished, “He sent us the coordinates and when we arrived, Ashley…” Janet closed her eyes and shook her head, “I mean the _chameleon_ had apparently just arrived with you…” she licked her lips and proceeded cautiously, “Their security cameras show her teleporting out two days before she abducted you. We can only presume she was watching and waiting for an opportunity… for us to lower the EM shield to make her move, which we did for the protection of the sand dollars…. Henry and the others have been scanning the Cabal’s security video between her departure on that day and our arrival… but she seems to have been gone that whole time.”

 

She had been reluctant to allow the team complete access to the Cabal security video, afraid one of the video files was going to show Helen being raped, but the only thing the security cameras revealed was hours and hours of clearly bored Cabal security forces; cleaning their weapons and performing mundane chores.

 

“When we found you we stabilized you as best we could and carried you out on stretcher and flew you directly home.”

 

“Thank you.” Helen croaked softly.

 

“I love you.” Janet answered and leaned forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead.

 

Helen smiled tremulously, “I love you, Janet…”

 

There was a soft knock on the door and Janet sat back, “That would be your breakfast… and hot tea.”

 

~

 

While Helen nibbled on her poached egg and toast Janet called down to Henry’s lab to check in before returning to Helen’s side, “Ah…” she smiled, “Thank you for cleaning your plate.”

 

“Thank you for not piling it with more than I could eat.” Helen replied, sinking back on the piled pillows behind her.

 

Janet took the tray, “I’d like to take out the Foley and let you progress from using a bedpan to the toilet.” She sat on the mattress next to her, “but for the next few days…” she locked eyes with Helen and held her undamaged hand, “because there are sutures in your rectum I’ll have to give you an enema when you need to empty your bowels.” She felt tears brim in her eyes when twin tears spilled down Helen’s face.

 

“I know… it’s to prevent infection and keep the sutures from coming out prematurely.” Helen squeezed the hand and nodded, clearing her throat. “It’s alright.”

 

Janet blinked the tears from her brimming eyes, “Okay.” she said and got up to retrieve the kit she had prepared from the bureau. When she returned to their bed, she pulled some of the pillows from behind Helen so she lay flatter on the mattress, “Okay?”

 

Helen winched but nodded, “Fine.”

 

Janet then pulled covers down to Helen’s feet and bending her legs at the knee, positioned them slightly apart. “Tell me now if any of this hurts too much.” she reminded her sternly.

 

“I will.” Helen said in a voice so soft that Janet looked at her in concern.

 

“Your wrists and ankles show signs of stress fractures from the cuffs and leg irons.” Helen looked at her in surprise, “Given the shapes and outlines of the bruises it wasn’t hard to guess.” Janet admitted as she unwrapped the kit between Helen’s legs and slid a thick incontinence pad beneath her. “But I didn’t splint or wrap them since you aren’t going to be moving around too much for a while.” While she spoke, she deftly clipped the tubing closed and  removed the Velcro strap around Helen’s thigh that kept the urinary catheter secure and after donning nitrile gloves, attached a twenty-milliliter syringe to the balloon port of the apparatus keeping the catheter inside Helen’s bladder. She carefully withdrew the ten milliliters of saline solution from the balloon, deflating it and gently pulled it and the tubing from Helen’s urethra. She quickly balled up the catheter and placed it and the drainage bag in the trashcan, “I can back off on the fluids now…” she said conversationally as she repositioned Helen’s legs and drew the covers back over her recumbent form, “So you’ll need to tell either me or our friend when you need the bedpan.” She sat on the edge of the bed again, “I know he’s cared for you in a similar capacity before,” she tried to smile, “in decades past.”

 

Helen nodded, “He has…”

 

“Helen…” Janet said quietly. Helen closed her eyes and reached for Janet’s hand, squeezing it in weak reassurance, “Helen you need to tell me now….” she begged quietly, “I need to know.” Helen nodded but tears spilled from the corners of her tightly closed eyes. Tears brimmed in Janet’s eyes as well but she persisted gently, _“Please, baby…”_

 

Helen drew a deep, shaky breath and opened her eyes, “That woman… I thought it was Ashley…” her lips trembled, “She took me and when I woke up I was tied to a bed… I was naked and she…” Helen nodded and her mouth worked but no words came out.

 

 _“She raped you…”_ Janet murmured quietly.

 

Helen nodded and sniffed, clearing her throat, “I thought it was Ashley…” she shook her head wonderingly, “I thought it was her and… and… at first she touched me…” Helen covered her eyes with her bandaged hand, _“she touched me and made me climax…”_ her throat twisted closed and her voice became a strained whimper.

 

“ _You know_ that can happen to rape victims…” Janet said quietly, but her voice took on a softly commanding tone, “Helen, _you know that wasn’t your fault_.”

 

“Then she became angry,” Helen continued, “She got angry and beat me with an electrical cord.”

 

Tears spilled slowly from Janet’s eyes and her face twisted in a mask of pain, “Oh…” she moaned in a barely audible whisper, “So…” Her lips trembled uncontrollably, _So that’s what she whipped you with…._ Janet finished silently, tears streamed down her face as images of Helen’s torn and bruised back flooded her mind’s eye. “And she bit you too.” She sniffed, “on your left breast…” Janet shook her head, “The bruising is bad… for now… as is the infection….” She snatched a tissue from the box on the nightstand and quickly wiped her face, “That’s causing your fever.”

 

Helen nodded, falling silent.

 

“And then what happened?” Janet prompted, “After she raped you?”

 

“She got tired...” Helen’s hand dropped away from her tear-streaked face, “so she went to sleep in another room till morning…” She gulped and cleared her throat, “When she got me up she took me outside to…” Her lips trembled again at the memories assailing her, “to relieve myself and she told me she loved the Swiss Alps.”

 

Janet’s eyebrows quirked in bemusement and surprise, “The Swiss Alps?” she sniffed and swiped at her nose with the back of her sleeve, “Meaning that’s where you were? In the Swiss Alps?”

 

“Yes,” Helen drew a careful breath, composing herself, “I could see we had been in a remote cabin… and it did look like the Swiss Alps….” She exhaled noisily and her eyes suddenly looked distant, remembering how out of place the solar panels looked on the rustic roof. “She said she was supposed to get my memories before she killed me.”

 

Janet’s brows furrowed again, “Your memories of what?”

 

“I don’t know…” Helen sighed, “Then she dressed me and took me to that lab.”

 

Janet sniffed and wiped the tears from her face, “The information Henry’s found so far in their hard drives indicated that the researcher for the Cabal, Walburga Hupfauer, was resp…”

 

“W-what?” Helen’s eyes opened wide in pain and fear, “What was her name?” she asked faintly.

 

“Walburga Hupfauer…” Janet repeated, pronouncing the w with a Germanic v sound as she slowly enunciated the name, “Why?”

 

 _“Dear god,”_ Helen’s eyes closed, “Walburga Hupfauer was Josef Mengele’s mother.”

 

Janet’s mouth dropped open in surprise, “Josef Mengele…” she echoed Helen’s hushed tone, memories of high school history classes flashing in her mind’s eye of the very first time she ever heard of the notorious Nazi SS officer who performed horrendous human experiments on concentration camp inmates during WWII. “The Angel of Death?” Helen nodded, looking terrified, “Well,” Janet shook her head in shocked disbelief, “evidently it was this woman who turned our Ashley into a super abnormal…” She licked her lips, “then used our Ashley’s DNA and what little they had left of the Source Blood they stole to turn this woman Caroline, the chameleon, into an Ashley look-alike.”

 

“But why?” Helen asked, sounding defeated.

 

“She said she was getting memories…” Janet picked up the tablet and quickly searched for an image in the inventory of items taken from the Cabal lab. “According to what Henry’s been able to glean so far; they were going to use this device,” She turned the tablet to Helen, showing her the images of the palm-sized silver tick-shaped device, “to access your memories for some _employer_ …” Helen’s brows quirked questioningly and Janet shook her head, “We don’t know who yet… even in Hupfauer’s notes she only identifies the person as ‘Doctor J.’…” _and I’m hoping that doesn’t stand for Julius Erving…_ she remembered Henry muttering quietly to himself and shook her head again, as if to clear it. “Apparently, while Dana Whitcomb was busy getting murdered in Paris, this Doctor J. had tracked down Hupfauer’s group and set them up in this Colombian cave as a safe house of sorts while she prepared the chameleon specifically for the purpose of abducting you.” She didn’t mention Hupfauer intended to drain Helen of her blood after the chameleon killed her in order to extract as much Source Blood from her as possible.

 

Janet powered down the tablet and rose, placing it on the bureau so she would remember to remove it from their bedroom, “Let’s take a break for awhile…” she tucked her hair behind sculpted ears and walked back to their bed, “Unless there’s anything else we need to talk about right now.” Helen shook her head no. “You look exhausted Helen, time to rest, and we’ll talk some more later, alright?”

 

~

 

Janet hugged Aeryn tight and swallowed firmly against the lump that formed stubbornly in her throat, “I can’t thank the two of you enough.” she said simply, “We couldn’t have brought her home without you.” She let go of Aeryn, pulled Kathleen firmly into her arms, and hugged the tall woman just as fiercely.

 

“Anytime…” Aeryn nodded, “you know that.”

 

The strangled noise that issued from Janet’s throat was an amused snort and she briefly pressed the backs of her fingers firmly against her lips and nose. “I do…” she smiled tremulously.

 

Kathleen gripped Janet’s petite frame by the small, strong shoulders, “Call us if you need anything…” she said forcefully, “ _Anything_ , Janet, even if it’s just to talk, alright?”

 

Only Aeryn’s raised eyebrows indicated her surprise at Kathleen’s remark, recognizing the sub-textural tone.

 

“Hey,” Will called as he knocked perfunctorily on the open office door, “headin’ out?” he said to Aeryn and Kathleen as he entered the office.

 

“Yes...” Aeryn turned to him, “we’re headed home to Vancouver but we’ll come back in a flash if you call….”

 

“I know.” Janet nodded, her smile genuine as the two women left the room.

 

Will watched them leave, shoving his hands in his pockets as he turned back to Janet. “We need to talk, you know.” he said, sounding apologetic.

 

Janet sighed heavily, “Shut the door…” she walked around the desk, wanting distance and the protective barrier of the desk between her and the persistent young psychiatrist.

 

Will pushed the door closed and slowly crossed the room to sit in the chair in front of the desk she shared with Helen, “You know what I’m going to say?”

 

“You want me to make Helen talk about what happened to her.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“We have begun that process already.”

 

“Really?” Will’s brows rose high on his forehead, “That’s great, Janet…” he dropped his hands on his lap, turning them palms up, “I mean, obviously it’s going to be a horrible process for her to go through, but it’s necessary that you begin as soon as possible.”

 

“I know, Will…”

 

“I know she’d never talk to me about it…” Janet’s look indicated her agreement and he continued, “So I want you to know you can talk to me anytime.” He was careful to affect a relaxed posture in the chair, “Because whether you know it, or can admit it, you _are_ going to need support in all of this, alright?” Janet looked down at her hands, folded calmly on the desk and his voice dropped to a confidential tone, “You have to know I have a lot of experience helping victims of rape.”

 

“I do.” Janet nodded, not looking at him.  
  


“Was it the Ashley chameleon who raped Magnus?” Janet only looked at him with haunted eyes and he continued, “It wasn’t hard to figure out,” he assured her, “the Cabal security video showed Caroline leaving days before she abducted Magnus and not returning to the Cabal lab until just before we did.”

 

“She has endured so much, Will.”

 

“I know,” he nodded, “but so have you, and there’s _a lot more coming_ … and in helping her you _are_ going to need someone to talk to, so I’m here… that’s all I’m saying, okay?”

 

~

 

_The super abnormal grabbed her by the wrist, twisting the limb and she cried out when she felt the radius and ulna snap with the force of the woman’s grip. Her eyes squeezed shut in pain and when the gripping hand suddenly released her, she fell to the floor. “Mom!” Her eyes flew open and saw Ashley extending a helping hand to her, “Come on!” Helen’s eyes widened in shock and surprise and when she reached out with her uninjured hand, her father’s smiling face looked down at her, “Come on then, Helen…” He pulled her to her feet and still holding her hand, placed his other hand over her forearm, gripping it lightly, “I’ll put it right here so you won’t forget...” He smiled benignly at her and she winced in pain again when he lifted his hand and a strange symbol appeared between the numbers 26 and 34 on the inside of her forearm, carved into the flesh. She fell to her knees at the searing pain and when she turned pleading eyes to Gregory Magnus, he still smiled down at her, “For you, my darling girl….” When she looked from her father’s smiling eyes to her bleeding forearm, the super abnormal grabbed her by the wrist, twisting the limb and she cried out when she felt the radius and ulna snap with the force of the woman’s grip…_

 

The scream that tore from Helen’s throat made Janet sit bolt upright in their bed, her heart pounding. She turned on the light and when she turned to Helen she exclaimed, _“Oh my god…”_ Helen lay curled on her side in agony, holding her bandaged left hand at an awkward angle from her body and blood dripped from the inside of her forearm.

 

 _“Why?”_ Helen sobbed; her tear and sweat-soaked face peered imploringly at Janet, _“Janet…”_

 

Janet grabbed her wrist and Helen screamed, cringing away and Janet let go immediately, _“I’m sorry!”_ she tried to soothe her, finally recognizing Helen’s face and body was sweat-soaked, “It’s alright Helen…” She smoothed the damp hair from her face, her hand flinching at the searing heat emanating from her skin, “Oh my god you’re burning up…”

 

 _“I can’t stop it…”_ Helen sobbed brokenly, _“I can’t…”_

 

“Easy now…” Janet tried to soothe, her voice quaking, “I’ll be right back…” She leapt from their bed, running for the medical supplies in the connecting bathroom. Flicking on the overhead lights, Janet snatched a roll of gauze and a stack of gauze pads from the tray of medical supplies from the counter and ran back to their bed. “Okay, let’s…” Janet came to an abrupt halt in the middle of the room and stared dumbly at the empty bed. Whirling, her eyes froze on the open door connecting their bedroom to the hallway. She snatched their robes from the foot of their bed and raced into middle of the corridor, _“HELEN?”_ she shouted. Dropping Helen’s robe she struggled into her own smaller silken robe, pulling it on over the silk pajamas she wore and shoving the hand still holding the gauze through the sleeve.

 

 _“Doc?”_ Henry’s door flew open and he raced into the hallway, gun held at the ready, clad in a t-shirt and boxer shorts.

 

“Henry!” Janet snatched Helen’s robe from the floor, “Helen’s gone, she’s delirious from a high fever… I need you to monitor the security cameras and make sure none of the perimeter doors can be opened…”

 

While she spoke Henry’s fine sense of smell clearly detected the scent of copper, “ _She’s bleeding…”_ he looked stricken, “I can smell it…”

 

Will and Kate came running around the corner, both struggling into bathrobes as they ran, “What’s happening?” he said breathlessly.

 

“Helen’s gone and she’s delirious, possibly hyperpyretic…”

 

“Doc,” Henry tugged at her sleeve, “I can find her faster if I HAP...”

 

“Do it…” Janet nodded, Henry was a hyper-accelerated protean life form, and she knew they would find Helen faster if Henry allowed his werewolf persona to emerge and let the more powerful pure lupine olfaction locate her. “Call our friend,” she turned first to Will then Kate, “Radios….” she said as she stuffed the gauze in the pockets of her robe.

 

 _“Hey…”_ Henry tossed his weapon to Kate then stripped off his favorite t-shirt so it wouldn’t rip in the transformation, confident his boxers would preserve his modesty, and threw the shirt on the floor. His gray eyes became distant as the pupils elongated and the irises turned a yellow-orange. With a low growl, his body transformed into the tall bipedal werewolf and after crouching to sniff the air briefly, he set off, bounding down the hall on all fours and Janet ran off after him.

 

Radios swiftly in hand, Will and Kate ran to catch up as Henry led them down the long hallways, around a corner and banged his way through the still open door leading to the tower stairs next to the elevator. _Oh my god she’s on the roof…_. Janet’s heart climbed into her throat in abject fear as she followed and when they emerged onto the tower’s rooftop, Janet felt her heart suddenly sink with dread when she saw Helen standing hunched, on the wall between the crenellated parapets. “Helen?” she called to her.

 

Helen held her arms crossed over her chest in pain and turned to her, “ _She won’t stop!”_ she sobbed, her deep blue silk pajamas fluttering in the night wind, _“It hurts…”_ she cried, _“he won’t stop… it hurts too much….”_

 

Janet put a shaking hand on Henry’s furred back and stepped past him, “Helen,” she called softly, “Helen look at me…” Will and Kate skidded to a halt just behind Henry as the werewolf disappeared and became man once again, watching as Janet approached Helen cautiously.

 

 _“NO!”_ Helen cried, shaking her head desperately from side to side, “I can’t… I can’t anymore, _not again….”_

 

“Please, baby,” Janet pleaded softly as she slowly closed the distance in her bare feet, “Please let me help you.”

 

Helen only shook her head miserably and turned her face into the wind that blew up the four stories of the sanctuary wall. “They won’t stop…” her voice dropped to a desolate whisper as tears spilled down her cheeks, _“they’ll never stop…”_

 

Afraid she was about to jump, Janet quickly crossed the distance and grabbing Helen by her upper arm, leaned her weight back and pulled with all her strength, _“I’m sorry…”_ she muttered through clenched teeth as Helen cried out and fell from the stone wall, stumbling into Janet’s arms.

 

Both fell just as Bigfoot charged onto the roof and quickly crossed to the pair. Janet held her around the shoulders, Helen’s back pressed tightly against her front as Bigfoot knelt at her side.

 

“Good timing.” he grunted in approval, sounding relieved, “Shall I take her to the infirmary?”

 

“Just a minute,” Janet’s teeth began to chatter in the cold, but she wanted to check Helen’s bleeding forearm first. She rolled onto her knees and gently pried Helen’s arm from her chest, making her moan, “I’m sorry, my love…” Janet murmured as she gently dabbed at the blood covering the inside of her forearm with a gauze pad.

 

Kate stood with her arms crossed tightly across her chest against the cold and peered over Janet’s shoulder, “What in the hell is that?” she muttered aloud as numbers appeared on Helen’s arm, carved into the skin.

 

 _“W-w-whoa…”_ Henry exclaimed quietly, shivering in his boxer shorts, “H-how’d that get there?”

 

Janet began placing layers of gauze pads over the incised flesh and Will knelt to help wind the gauze roll over the pads.

 

“We should get some pictures of this...” he said under his breath.

 

“For god sakes, Will,” Janet scolded him, “not now.” She turned, nodding to Bigfoot who slid his massive arms under Helen’s back and knees and stood carefully.

 

Janet followed Bigfoot to the roof access door and as she passed Henry, she gave his arm a quick squeeze, “Good work, Henry.” She turned to include Kate and Will, “You too…” she nodded, “Thank you.”

 

Helen was quiet in Bigfoot’s arms as he carried her to the infirmary, and he laid her as gently as possible on the nearest gurney. Will helped pull up the safety rails opposite him and muttered, “I’ll get the restraints.”

 

“ _No_ ,” Janet heard him as she crossed to a prepared sterile tray of medical instruments, “you will not.”

 

His brows knit in concern and disbelief, _“She just tried to commit suici…”_

 

“She’s _hallucinating_ , I just need to get her core temperature down and she’ll be fine.” Will parked his hands on his hips; his brows raised high on his forehead in disbelief but she ignored him, “Thank you for all your help, Will.” she added.

 

Will drew a deep breath and turned to leave the infirmary; clearly, he had been dismissed.

 

Janet draped Helen with a cooling blanket and plugged it in before checking her temperature, her hand passing over the temporal artery thermometer for a tympanic instrument. _That cold wind has to have cooled her somewhat…_ she mused hopefully, her brows knitting in concern when the thermometer indicated Helen’s core temperature to be one-hundred four point one degrees Fahrenheit. _My god,_ she shook her head, _how high was it before she bolted out of bed?_ Bigfoot stood silently and she turned to him, “Please get a blood draw then start her on some cool fluids, my friend.” He nodded and set about his task while Janet attached a temperature monitor to Helen’s earlobe so she could monitor her progress while she examined the likely cause for the spike in her fever. She unbuttoned Helen’s pajama top and carefully exposed her breast. The teeth marks from the Ashley chameleon were puffy and brightly outlined. Janet’s lips pressed together in a thin line as she pulled on a pair of latex gloves and gently palpated the surrounding bruised tissue. A small cry escaped Helen’s throat and Janet immediately lifter her fingers, _“I’m sorry, baby.”_ she murmured.

 

Human bites were notorious for leaving behind dangerous bacteria and in Helen’s case, the infection continued to grow in spite of the long-acting antibiotics Janet had given her. The bite marks themselves were oozing pus and Janet placed a clean four by four inch square of gauze over the area before covering her again with the pajama top. She stepped over to the formulary and withdrew a stronger antibiotic. She disinfected the injection port on the IV tubing and quickly added the new antibiotic to the cooling fluids Bigfoot had started.

 

“Does she need stitches?” Bigfoot rasped softly, chuffing quietly.

 

Janet shook her head, “No, they weren’t that deep, thank god.” While she spoke, she carefully turned Helen’s right hand palm up and closely inspected her fingernails. “Fortunately,” Janet’s brows shrugged as she looked at the bloody fingertips, “Helen keeps her nails short.”

 

“She did this to herself?”

 

Squinting, Janet could see bloody bits of skin packed under the nails of Helen’s first two fingers, “Well,” she sighed heavily, “she _was_ delirious.” She shrugged and began cleaning the bloody hand and fingers.

 

Bigfoot grunted in reply and gently cut away the bandage around Helen’s forearm and cleaned away the blood, “They _are_ numbers...” he commented and peered at Janet, “why numbers?”

 

Janet shook her head, “I don’t know, given what she was saying…” she stopped herself abruptly, _Will’s right,_ she silently admonished, “Let’s get a picture of that...” she muttered aloud.

 

~

 

It took three hours to lower Helen’s body temperature until Janet was satisfied she was stable enough to move back to their bedroom. Bigfoot lifted her easily from the gurney and laid her on the mattress and when he drew the covers over her form, she caught the hairy wrist in a weak grasp,

 

 _“Thank you, my friend…”_ she rasped.

 

He looked down at her with sorrowful eyes, “Anytime.” he grunted, chuffing softly.

 

When he left the room Janet closed the door behind him and sat next to Helen on the edge of their bed, “Hanging in there?” she asked, taking Helen’s hand.

 

“Sorry to cause such a ruckus.” Helen apologized.

 

“Well,” Janet sighed, “Hallucinations can be pretty overwhelming.”

 

“Yes, but I don’t know why I did that.” she insisted, “I thought I was dreaming about my father but…” her voice wavered, her lips trembling and Janet gave her hand a soft squeeze.

 

“The rapes?”

 

“No…” Helen shook her head, “when Ashley died.” Her eyes drifted closed, “the super abnormal broke my arm and …” her brow furrowed, “my father was there…”

 

“In the hallucination…” Janet’s brow furrowed as well.

 

“Yes.” Helen nodded then shook her head, “I’m sorry...”

 

“Don’t be sorry.”

 

Helen looked at her with weary eyes, “I have to use the bedpan.”

 

A small smile tugged at Janet’s lips, “Again, don’t apologize.” She placed a quick kiss on Helen’s brow.

 

 _“Janet?”_ Helen whispered.

 

“Yes?”

 

_“Please kiss me properly.”_

 

Smiling, Janet dipped her head and softly pressed her lips against Helen’s, their eyes closing at the contact.

 

 _“I love you.”_ Helen whispered.

 

 _“I know…”_ Janet smiled again, “I love you too.” She rose to retrieve the bedpan, and before she slid it under Helen’s backside, she reached under the covers and pulled her pajama bottoms down to her knees.

 

“I’m afraid I’m going to need an enema as well.” Helen confessed as she closed her eyes in concentration.

 

Janet watched, listening for the sound of urine filling the pan and watching Helen’s face for signs of pain. A soft sound escaped Helen’s lips when she felt the warm liquid flowing from between her legs and into the pan beneath. The acrid urine stung when it touched the torn and bruised external tissue but the pain was bearable.

 

“Alright?’ Janet asked softly, the worry obvious in her voice.

 

“Its’ alright.”

 

Janet left to warm the disposable enema by holding the filled bulb under the faucet, and when she returned Helen had finished. She removed the bedpan, returning it to the bathroom to empty it in the toilet before returning to Helen’s bedside. She placed a pillow alongside Helen’s pelvis and helped her roll onto her side until she was lying partly facedown, her backside slightly raised where her pelvic region lay on the pillow. She had ordered pediatric saline enemas for Helen, both for the small applicator tips and smaller amount of saline used. She spread Helen’s buttocks with her fingers and gently inserted the lubricated tip. Helen lay still as she slid the length into her rectum and gently squeezed the bulb,

 

“Tell me if this hurts.”

 

“No…” Helen sighed at the feel of the warm liquid filling her. “At another time I’m sure I’d be quite aroused.” She smiled faintly into the linen beneath when she heard Janet chuckle. Because of the injuries to her left hand and right shoulder, Helen kept both her hands folded across her chest and the fingers tightened into fists as her bowels reacted to the warm fluid. “This won’t take long…” her voice sounded strained.

 

Janet removed the disposable bulb syringe and positioned the bedpan behind Helen. She held a towel in one hand, draping it on Helen’s hip and her fingers held the buttocks closed to contain the leaking fluid, “Tell me when you’re ready.” she said quietly, her eyes involuntarily sweeping over Helen’s back, covered in ragged welts and deeply purpled bruises.

 

What felt like only a few seconds passed before Helen gasped as though she’d been holding her breath, _“Janet…”_ she rasped in a strained whisper.

 

Janet stood and helped Helen roll onto her back, making sure her backside rolled onto the bedpan. Helen’s eyes squeezed tightly shut as she felt her muscles bearing down and she tried to relax and let her body expel the enema and solid waste. Her body curled as she strained and Janet quickly pulled her into her arms, supporting her, “Easy…” she murmured, “easy now… don’t push, let the saline do the work.”

 

Helen gasped aloud, her body shaking in an effort to relax and surrender to the waves of contraction and release, _“Dear god…”_ she moaned and fell back onto the stack of pillows behind her in exhausted relief when the spasming waves finally stopped, “that was exhausting…”  
she panted while Janet removed the bedpan and retreated to the bathroom.

 

Janet quickly flushed the contents in the pan and returned to their bed, “Let me finish…” she pushed lightly on Helen’s hip and gently cleaned her vulva and between the bruised muscled mounds, checking discretely for blood. “There.” she said, rearranging the covers, “How does that feel?”

 

“Better.” Helen sighed, sinking into the bed beneath, “Thank you.”

 

“The pleasure’s all mi…” Janet’s voice faded for a moment and she shook her head, “I mean… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for that to sound inappropriate. But I mean it, Helen, I love you, and there’s nowhere else I want to be.”

 

Helen held out her right hand as far as the injured shoulder would allow and Janet took it in both of hers. “This has been terrible…” her voice wavered for a moment, “a terrible time for us, Janet, a terrible time for us both, but I promise you,” she squeezed her hand, “I promise you, Janet Fraiser, when I am better there is nothing, and _no one_ , who can keep me from making love to you.”

 

~

 

Bigfoot had returned to keep watch over them for what remained of the night so Janet could get some sleep, and the following morning, after waking Helen to eat breakfast and talk some more she found herself tilting back in the desk chair in their adjoining office and closing her eyes. She was exhausted, but she also felt immense relief now that Helen’s fever had finally broken and she appeared to be back on a path of healing and recovery.

 

There was a soft knock on the open door, “Hey, uh, Janet?” Will called softly.

 

She opened her eyes and gestured tiredly with her hand, “It’s okay,” she waved him in, “I’m awake.”

 

“And Magnus?”

 

“Asleep…” Janet sat up in the chair and rotated her neck.

 

“Well,” Will closed the office door and shoved his hands in his pockets as he crossed the room, “I would hope so given what she went through last night.” He heavily sat in the chair opposite her, “But her temp is okay now?”

 

Janet nodded, “Yes, finally.”

 

“I know she was delirious last night, Janet, but Iswear I heard her say, ‘ _he_ hurt me’ and ‘ _they_ won’t stop’… do you think anyone else but that Caroline raped her?”

 

“No,” Janet shook her head, “although it grants her no favor to say so. Only the chameleon hurt her.” She folded her hands on the desk and regarded at him a long moment before pulling open a desk drawer and withdrawing two old-looking hand bound leather books. “Given the current circumstances,” she placed the books on the desk between them, “and _only_ because I have Helen’s permission,” Her deep brown eyes looked deeply into his pale blue, “We’ve… concluded you could help us better if you had more information…. _However_ , you _may not_ remove them,” she tapped them with her finger, “from this room, you may _only_ read them while you are here in this office and you _may not_ make copies of any kind, _do you understand?”_

 

 _Jesus…_ He nodded, “Okay,” he picked them up, “agreed, what are they?”

 

“Two of Helen’s diaries,” Janet said in a low voice, “personal accounts of what happened to her when she met John Druitt.” His brows arched questioningly and she continued, “They include how she created the fertilized ovum from her harvested ova and Druitt’s collected sperm…”

 

“Collected,” Will repeated uncertainly, _Collected…_ he repeated mutely, _what does she mean ‘collected’?_ His brows bounced high in confusion on his forehead; “That was _after_ he injected Source Blood…” he clarified, sensing that where these events happened in Helen Magnus’ timeline was going to matter a great deal once he read the diaries.

 

“Yes.” Janet nodded.

 

“That she kept frozen until she met you…”

 

“And we had Ashley together, yes.” Janet nodded again, “But she also wrote about… when Druitt’s true nature was discovered, _after_ The Five had injected the Source Blood…”

 

“And they discovered he was Jack the Ripper.” Will added, trying to fill in what gaps he did know about.

 

“The serial killer,” Janet nodded, “Yes… and she also wrote about… when he…” her lips trembled and she bit them together, “when he _viciously_ raped her.”

 

Will’s mouth fell open in shock, “Druitt raped Magnus?”

 

Janet nodded, “And she barely survived.”

 

***

 

 _“Oohhh god…”_ Aeryn moaned again. She tried to keep her weight off her but when Kathleen implored her to stay on top of her Aeryn slumped lifelessly on the lanky form beneath. Both ends of the pearlized double dildo was buried in their depths and in spite of her exhaustion Aeryn still found her hips involuntarily twitching with little thrusting jerks into Kathleen’s’ center. Their lovemaking session had begun more than two hours before and Aeryn marveled numbly that she had lasted so long. “Oh my dear _god_ …” she moaned again.

 

Kathleen lay boneless, spread-eagle beneath her but she still snickered tiredly, “Thirty.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“That,” Kathleen replied in a faint voice, “has to be the thirtieth time you’ve said that.”

 

“I can’t believe you made me _fuck_ you for more than _two hours_.”

 

Kathleen snickered weakly, “You started it…”

 

When they retired to their room for the night both had stripped wearily, discarding their clothes on the floor as they headed for the connecting bathroom and got into the shower together. A feral grin tugged at one corner of Kathleen’s mouth, remembering how loudly she had moaned when Aeryn had cleaned her rear channel with thrusting soapy fingers. Once in the bedroom Kathleen threw a bottle of lubricant on the bed and handed Aeryn their large pearlized angled double dildo. She had knelt on all fours on their bed and holding the toy and lube in her hands; Aeryn knelt on the floor and fellated Kathleen’s protruding elongated inner folds. She slurped and suckled, her tongue laving and lapping between the rigid labia until a thick flood of creamy cum filled her mouth and she switched from cunnilingus to anilingus. She laved the puckered opening, her tongue delving deeper with each stroke, smiling as Kathleen moaned and shuddered in delight. Creamy arousal slid down Aeryn’s inner thighs and she squeezed her legs tightly together when she inserted the curved end of the dildo, hoping it would stay in place and Kathleen whimpered and moaned aloud when Aeryn finally slid the impressive length of the dildo deep inside her floridly engorged, soaking wet center. Aeryn pumped the dildo with gusto, heartily slapping Kathleen’s backside while she shouted and moaned her approval.

 

She valiantly held off the massive orgasm so Aeryn could pump the phallus inside her with abandon for a long time before panting, _“Turn me over before I come.”_ Ever compliant, Aeryn pulled the cock free and Kathleen had crawled to the center of the bed and lay on her back with her backside elevated on a pillow. Aeryn lay between her legs and pumped the shaft inside until Kathleen’s body shook rigidly and she had screamed, the burning hot squirts of ejaculate soaking Aeryn’s vulva and triggering her own massive release. _“Oh god!”_ _Kathleen had shouted,_ _“Keep fucking me!”_ making Aeryn bang and ram the cock for another hour.

 

“And if you recall,” Kathleen teased her, “I let you rest.”

 

“You let me _slow down_.” Aeryn corrected her. “That was all.”

 

“If you’re so tired why are you still doing it?”

 

“What?”

 

“Fucking your cock in me.”

 

“Sorry.” Aeryn made a conscious effort to still her thrusting hips.

 

“I didn’t say stop.”

 

 _“Jesus.”_ Aeryn whimpered.

 

“Sorry,” Kathleen snorted softly, “I just love it when we’re connected like this.”

 

“By the willy?”

 

Kathleen chuckled, _“Mmm hmm.”_

 

“Love?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“We’ve had quite a lot of sex since we got home.”

 

“Is that a complaint?”

 

“Absolutely not,” Aeryn sounded aghast, making Kathleen snort in amusement, “But I am wondering if the previous few days has contributed to your sky-high libido.” She found the strength to rise up onto her elbows so she could look down into crystalline blue eyes. “Or if it’s something else entirely.”

 

“I _was_ worried,” Kathleen admitted, “because I had to stay behind, because of what happened to Helen… and because of what Janet and she will have to go through now as part of the recovery process.”

 

Aeryn looked at her, “And?”

 

“And I am afraid of the troubled times that lie ahead... for them…” Kathleen sighed, “for us all.” They had both read the confidential file Henry had forwarded to them about the creation of the Ashley chameleon and the Cabal doctor and the mysterious employer.

 

“We’ll be alright.” Aeryn assured her, lost in the deep blue.

 

 “I know,” Kathleen smiled, “But I always feel better when I can have you _this_ close.”

 

 _“Sooommph,”_ Aeryn suckled a plump nipple, “Can I pull out yet?”

 

“No,” Kathleen sighed, “not yet.”


End file.
